The African Development Bank (AfDB) has expressed its willingness to do everything in its capacity to support the communities in Libya that are grappling with the flooding tragedy.

Development Diaries reports that Storm Daniel made landfall in Libya on Sunday, 10 September, resulting in severe weather conditions, including strong winds and sudden heavy rainfall, which has affected several northeastern areas of the country.

The flooding has reportedly killed at least 6,000 people as of 14 September, and displaced about 30,000, while 10,000 people are still missing, according to an Aljazeera report.

‘On behalf of the African Development Bank Group, I extend our deepest sympathies to the communities impacted by Mediterranean Storm Daniel in Libya’, President of AfDB, Akinwunmi Adesina, said in a statement.

‘This storm has resulted in a significant loss of life and widespread devastation, most notably in the worst hit city of Derna’.

Libya is a nation already faced with numerous challenges. The efficacy of country’s social protection system has dramatically decreased since 2011, according to a World Bank assessment report.

As a result, coverage for disadvantaged groups has shrunk, leading to a negative effect on labour market.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has reported that search and rescue efforts are still going on, particularly in Derna where a devastated infrastructure makes accessibility a serious problem.

The Libyan government has appealed for essential humanitarian needs in the area of psychosocial support, food, housing, non-food items, medical treatment, logistical support, data assessment, and specialised technical support.

Photo source: Esam Omran Al-Fetori/Reuters