IOM: 406 Immigrants Died in East Libyan Floods

In a devastating sequence of events, at least 406 migrants have tragically lost their lives in eastern Libyan cities due to the severe flooding and deluge caused by Cyclone Daniel.

The International Organisation for Migration (IOM), in a statement released on their official website on Tuesday, mentioned that the overall death toll is nearing an estimated 4,000 individuals. Of these casualties, 406 migrants fell victim to the storm, including 250 Egyptians and 150 Sudanese. The organisation further highlighted that six Bangladeshi nationals remain unaccounted for.

Regarding the health repercussions of the cyclone, there have been reports of around 150 cases of poisoning from contaminated drinking water. Notably, in the city of Derna, 55 children have been affected by water-related illnesses.

IOM's assessment suggests nearly 40,000 people have been displaced in eastern Libya, with 30,000 from Derna alone. In response to this crisis, numerous schools have been repurposed into temporary shelters to house displaced families in the affected areas.

"As covered in IOM Libya’s Flood Update 1, there is a significant number of dead bodies in streets and under the rubble, leading to a health crisis. A statement from the Director General of the National Centre for Disease Control reported that there have been 150 reported cases of poisoning due to water contamination." It explained.

According to the latest IOM DTM update, the storm has caused displacement of around 37,000 individuals in flood affected areas. Three schools in the west and three others in the east are currently hosting displaced households but these families are likely to be relocated. Urgent needs continue to include medical staff, medications, and equipment, drinking water and fuel.

IOM pointed to growing concerns about another humanitarian crisis that the affected areas may witness due to the accumulation of large numbers of bodies under the rubble and demolished buildings. Fears of waterborne disease transmission are also increasing due to the severe damage to water sources and sewage. It said Libya was approaching the rainy season, which posed the risk of the spread of diseases and epidemics.

IOM stressed the urgent need to provide immediate medical aid and body bags for burial. Given the devastation of the health services infrastructure, it pointed out that there were only four primary healthcare centers in Derna, and one functioning hospital, which increased the need for medical supplies, equipment and medicines, as well as medical workers.

It said that relief teams from 9 United Nations agencies continue to work on the ground in cities affected by the floods, delivering emergency aid and life-saving relief materials despite the challenges hindering access to the affected areas. It added that search and rescue operations were continuing to recover more bodies, although the chances of finding survivors were dwindling.