Libya Flood response Flash Appeal, Sept 2023 - Dec 2023 (Issued September 2023) [EN/AR]

CRISIS OVERVIEW

On 10 September, Storm Daniel affected northeastern Libya with torrential rains and flash floods affecting multiple cities and towns. The human toll is significant and is expected to continue rising.

OCHA estimates that approximately 884,000 people in five provinces (Mantikas) live in areas that have been directly affected by the storm and flash floods in Libya and have been impacted to varying degrees.

Several factors are influencing and exacerbating the severity of humanitarian needs, including pre-existing humanitarian conditions, deterioration of socio-economic situation, logistical and access constraints to certain areas. Prior to the storm, some 300,000 people in Libya were assessed to require humanitarian assistance according to the 2023 Humanitarian Overview.

The Foreign Affairs Committee of the Libyan House of Representatives issued on 11 September, an urgent appeal for international help in dealing with Storm Daniel’s devastating impact on the Cyrenaica region. Stating that the humanitarian situation is catastrophic, the committee highlighted that local authorities were overwhelmed and called for immediate support from the United Nations, international organizations, and neighbouring countries.

On 13 September, the Emergency Relief Coordinator allocated US$10 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to scale up interventions in response to this disaster.

Humanitarian partners are requesting $71.4 million to respond to the most urgent needs of 250,000 people targeted out of the 884,000 people estimated to be in need, over the next three months. This Flash Appeal may be updated once additional information becomes available.

Most affected areas

The hardest-hit areas include Derna, Albayda, Soussa, Al-Marj, Shahat, Taknis, Battah, Tolmeita, Bersis, Tokra, and Al-Abyar, among others. Schools and hotels are being used as shelters. Albayda’s hospital, which serves the entire Green Mountain region, has been flooded, forcing the evacuation of ICU patients to private hospitals and clinics, and relocating other patients to different buildings.

Derna is reported to be the most affected location with Storm Daniel having led dams to burst and water to sweep through large areas of the city causing major devastation. One INGO estimated that 30 per cent of the city may have disappeared as a result. Based on UNOSAT analysis, over 2,200 buildings are estimated to have been exposed to flooding. According to REACH, in 2022, most Libyan households (69 per cent) interviewed in Derna were found to have unmet needs related to WASH. The mayor of Derna has described the city's situation as rapidly deteriorating and has issued a call for international intervention. With the collapse of most roads, the municipality is urging relevant authorities to establish a sea corridor for emergency relief and evacuations.

The road between the towns of Tokra and Talmitha is blocked, as is the road between Shahat and Sousse. Power outages affected most areas in the cities of Albayda, Shahat, and Al-Marj. Albayda's mayor has announced that the situation is completely out of control and has called for urgent intervention to save lives. Meanwhile, the director of the Emergency and Ambulance Branch in Shahat issued an urgent appeal about the flooding of several homes, saying that many residents were stranded on rooftops. The Education Monitoring Authority in Benghazi has suspended classes until 14 September, while classes elsewhere in the affected areas in eastern Libya have also been suspended. The Emergency and Ambulance Department in Albayda reported the loss of two ambulances and a partial collapse of their headquarters. Aid and medical convoys have been sent to eastern Libya, and both the Libyan Ambulance Service and the National Oil Corporation have mobilized resources to assist in rescue and relief operations.

The situation in the city of Sousse is also critical; the entire city is submerged in water, requiring aerial rescue operations involving helicopters, according to the spokesperson for the Libyan Ambulance Service.