On September 11, 2023, a severe hurricane hit the eastern coast of Libya, causing devastating flooding. More than a month after this disaster, the human toll remains tragically high, with more than 8,000 people still missing. The total number of casualties is estimated to be as high as 13,000. The town of Derna was particularly hard hit, with much of the town destroyed.
In this context of desolation, many people had to flee their homes and seek refuge in surrounding towns, or even more than 1,000 kilometers away, in the western region of the country. Among these displaced people is Manal Tasheni, a mother of six who lost everything: “I lived near the sea, no one warned us or asked us to evacuate! I keep thinking about those who are gone, I can’t sleep. Derna is my whole life, a part of me has disappeared. Here, I feel lost. The government must compensate us and rehouse those who lost everything! »
Faced with the expectations of the authorities, the solidarity of the population is, however, present. Asia Al-Swhedhi, head of an organization for the rights of women and young people, mobilized a network of donation collections to help the victims: “Derna is far from Misrata, but the population reacted quickly. We contacted businessmen who gave us significant financial support. We also provided clothing and medicine to women who had lost everything. »
Faced with the scale of the damage, the situation pushed some businessmen in Misrata to act. Humanitarian convoys are organized, transporting basic necessities, food, tents, to help Derna. Abdeslam Sadik Chalouf, a business leader, explains: “We intended to send aid to the victims in Morocco, but it was our own country that was affected. So we turned around and went to Derna. We collected basic necessities, food, pasta, tuna, oil, as well as tents. »
This solidarity between the cities of Misrata and Derna is a relief in a context where war and political tensions had until now separated these two regions. Hassan al-Saddik, elected in charge of security issues at the town hall of Misrata, is delighted with this outpouring of solidarity which has brought peace between the two cities: “The war between the west and the east of the country had cut off our ties, not only political, but also between people, because there had been deaths on both sides. But the catastrophe that struck Derna restored peace to hearts. Communication between us has completely changed, everything has returned to normal. »
Despite these gestures of solidarity, many displaced families from Derna are still waiting for housing. Misrata City Hall has promised to provide them with free housing for a year. However, the UN estimates that 250,000 people are still in need of humanitarian assistance in Libya and that additional funding of around $40 million is needed to meet these needs.
The situation in Libya therefore remains worrying, with thousands of people still missing and displaced populations awaiting concrete aid. Solidarity between the country’s different cities is a ray of hope, but it is essential that the Libyan authorities and the international community act quickly to respond to the humanitarian needs of the population.