The United Nations humanitarian agency has reported that thousands of Libyans who survived Storm Daniel nearly two weeks ago are faced with post-traumatic stress and anxiety.

Development Diaries reports that the floods have displaced 43,000 people, according to data from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).

The UN has identified psychosocial support as one of the priority needs for affected people, especially those living in eastern Libya – where it said around 20,000 people are believed to have been killed.

This is in addition to medical care, disease control and prevention, and the testing and analysis of water sources.

Storm Daniel made landfall in Libya on  10 September, 2023, bringing with it extreme weather that included strong winds and unexpectedly heavy rain that affected numerous northeastern districts of Libya.

It is understood that affected families have gone through severe distress and this has led to a high mental toll which calls for urgent support for people to heal.

Flooding has negative short-, medium-, and long-term effects on victims’ welfare, interpersonal relationships, and physical and mental health. Post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is one of the most prevalent mental health conditions among these victims.

The National Library of Medicine, in a 2022 research, found that the number of flood victims with PTSD is relatively high.

Therefore, this shows why taking effective, preventative, and therapeutic measures for them is essential.

Development Diaries calls on aid agencies to prioritise providing psychosocial support for flood victims in Libya, especially eastern Derna, to aid their recovery process.

Photo source: United Nations