The WHO has urged authorities in Derna to cease burying flood victims in mass graves, highlighting the potential well being dangers if situated close to water and the misery it might trigger households.
Rescue groups within the coastal metropolis of Derna are nonetheless trying to find our bodies virtually every week after a devastating flood killed greater than 11,000 folks.
1000’s of residents have been washed out to sea following the collapse of two dams after excessive rainfall final Sunday.
Based on the Libyan Purple Crescent, 10,000 persons are nonetheless lacking. Officers concern hundreds of our bodies are trapped beneath the rubble of collapsed buildings whereas numerous extra proceed to clean up on Derna’s battered shores.
Six days on, groups are nonetheless digging by means of mud and hollowed-out buildings, searching for potential survivors.
Claire Nicolet, who heads the emergencies division of the Medical doctors With out Borders support group, stated that rescuers discovered “lots of our bodies” on Friday and have been nonetheless looking out.
As households bury their useless, the World Well being Group (WHO) has urged authorities in Libya to cease burying flood victims in mass graves, highlighting the unfold of waterborne illnesses.
Haider al-Saeih, the pinnacle of Libya’s Centre for Combating Illnesses, stated in televised feedback Saturday that no less than 150 folks had suffered from diarrhoea after consuming contaminated water in Derna. He urged residents to solely drink bottled water, which is being shipped in as a part of reduction efforts.
His feedback comply with the announcement Friday that Libya is launching a probe into the collapse of the 2 dams. The nation’s prime prosecutor has vowed to look into the function of native authorities and former governments and has scrutinised the administration of the dams’ upkeep funds.
“I reassure residents that whoever made errors or negligence, prosecutors will definitely take agency measures, file a prison case in opposition to him and ship him to trial,” Common Prosecutor al-Bitter stated.
A number of reviews now counsel the buildings had cracks as early as 1998 however have been by no means repaired.