Türkiye Rescue Teams Start Mission In Libya

According to WHO, the disaster has affected 1.5-1.8 million people in the North African country. Sep. 15, 2023.

Published 15 September 2023

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According to the Libyan Red Crescent, 11,300 people have died in Derna alone and more than 10,100 are still missing.

Türkiye has sent rescue teams to Libya which have joined in the search and rescue efforts, while new aid supplies have been shipped out from the Turkish western port city of Izmir.

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The Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) informed on social media platform X, that "Türkiye's helping hand has reached Libya." AFAD said that the Middle East country "stand by our Libyan brothers and sisters in the disaster zone where one of the biggest floods of history occurred."

In addition to the three relief planes that departed on Tuesday, three military ships left Izmir on Thursday night, carrying 550 personnel and 4,000 tonnes of aid material, according to the state-run TRT broadcaster.

Turkish Health Minister Fahrettin Koca announced Wednesday in X the dispatch of a ship with 148 doctors to establish two field hospitals. In statements to the press, Okay Memis, head of the AFAD, said from the Alsancak Port in Izmir, that the supplies in the ships include vehicles, boats, tents, blankets, food parcels, and hygiene kits, among others.

The death toll in Libya’s coastal city of Derna has soared to 11,300 following a massive flood after the breaching of two dams. The dams burst upstream releasing water that swept away buildings and people in them. Another 10,100 people are reported missing in the Mediterranean… pic.twitter.com/gbKtowBNov
— ZiFM Stereo (@ZiFMStereo) September 15, 2023

The United Nations has pledged 10 million dollars from the UN's Central Emergency Response Fund to support those affected by the floods. The World Health Organization (WHO) announced Wednesday the release of $2 million from its emergency fund to support survivors.

According to WHO, the disaster has affected 1.5-1.8 million people in the North African country. The U.S., Britain, France, and Italy also dispatched aid to Libya, including emergency funds and rescue teams.

Following the catastrophic floods that devastated the eastern Libyan port city of Derna, the death toll continues to rise and thousands of people are still missing. According to the Libyan Red Crescent, 11,300 people have died in Derna alone and more than 10,100 are still missing.