Egypt calls citizens to stay away from flood-stricken Derna to avoid spread of epidemics

CAIRO – 16 September 2023: The Egyptian Ministry of Foreign Affairs called on Egyptian citizens to stay away from the affected areas in the flood-stricken city of Derna in Libya, where risks of epidemics spreading are high as a result of decomposing the dead bodies of victims.

 

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry Spokesperson Ahmed Abu Zeid said that the Libyan army prevented entry to these unsafe areas.

 

He added that the Egyptian Ministry is following up on the situation of Egyptian expats from work cells in Cairo and Benghazi to receive citizens’ reports and questions and coordinate with authorities in the affected areas to quickly account for the victims.

 

On September 10, the devastating storm, Daniel, struck Libya and led two dams in Derna city to collapse, killing so far more than 5,100 people while about 9,000 others are still missing. About 25 percent of the city was inundated. More than 70 dead bodies of Egyptian nationals who were killed in Libya floods were deported home and buried in their hometown Beni Suef, Upper Egypt, on Wednesday, Al-Arabyia Al Hadath reported.

 

The Egyptian side also is in communication with hospitals in the cities and regions of Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Tobruk, Umm Al-Razm, Martouba, and Shiha, as well as communicates with shelter centers close to the affected areas.

 

Abu Zeid aldo affirmed that the Egyptian Consulate is coordinating with the Libyan authorities and Egyptian support teams to provide assistance to the Egyptian survivors in shelter centers and hospitals.

 

Additionally, the Egyptian Consulate in Benghazi is currently coordinating with Egyptian ambulance teams to rescue the Egyptian survivors and work fast to return them home. 

 

Due to the increasing death toll, the Libyan morgues were overwhelmed to the extent that some social media users posted video footage for dead bodies lying on the streets. Meanwhile, some mass graves were dug to bury other victims.

 

Egypt’s President Abdel Fattah El Sisi directed the military, on Wednesday to prepare a Mistral aircraft carrier to serve as a field hospital for the victims of the Daniel storm that struck Libya.

 

Sisi directed the army to establish shelter camps in the western military zone for those affected by the tragedy.

 

Egypt announced a three-day mourning for the victims of the Libyan flood disaster and the victims of the Moroccan earthquake that claimed the lives of more than 2,000 people.