UN food agency, Italy send aid to flood-hit Libya

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

GENEVA (AA) - The UN food agency and Italy announced separately that they have dispatched aid to Libya, where devastating floods have killed thousands of people.

In a statement, the World Food Program said that it has dispatched its first batch of food assistance to Libya.

In the coming days, the agency said, it aims to reach more than 5,000 families whose lives were turned upside down when two dams near the port city of Derna burst due to Storm Daniel.

“More than 2,000 storm-affected and displaced people who fled from Derna to Benghazi already received food and distributions are ongoing,” it added.

Meanwhile, the Italian foreign minister announced that his country sent two C-130 J transport planes to Libya to provide aid with teams “specialized in water assistance.”

"Additional Italian aid is expected to arrive in the coming hours, if necessary," Antonio Tajani said in a statement. "We want to contribute actively to the prompt restoration of a partner and friend country."

The aid includes helicopters for search and rescue activities, earth-moving equipment, 100 field tents, 1,000 cots with sleeping bags, and specialized teams in various fields, Tajani added.

He said that a team of experts from the Italian Civil Protection Department, the Fire Department, the Defense Ministry and the Foreign Ministry has already arrived in Derna Tuesday afternoon.

At least 6,000 people have been killed and thousands of others remain missing due to weekend floods caused by Storm Daniel in eastern Libya, according to officials.

Torrential rains swept several regions of the North African country on Sunday, most notably the cities of Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Soussa.