Derna

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Aid groups in Libya have warned of the growing risk posed by the spread of disease as the country struggles to recover from the devastating flood in Derna. According to a report by the news agency AFP on Saturday (September 16), aid organisations like the Islamic Relief and Doctors Without Borders (MSF) warned that the upcoming period could see the spread of disease as well as grave difficulties in delivering aid to those most in need.

More than 11,000 people have died due to the flood in Derna and thousands of others are still missing as bodies keep washing ashore on beaches up to 100 km away. On Saturday, Islamic Relief warned of a second humanitarian crisis and said there is a growing risk of water-borne diseases and shortages of food, shelter and medicine.

Risk of water-related diseases

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"Thousands of people don't have anywhere to sleep and don't have food," said Salah Aboulgasem, the organisation's deputy director of partner development. Aboulgasem added that in conditions like these, diseases could spread quickly as the water systems were contaminated.

MSF meanwhile said it was deploying teams to the east to assess water and sanitation. "With this type of event, we can really worry about water-related disease," said Manoelle Carton, MSF's medical coordinator in Derna. 

US diplomat urges global mobilisation to coordinate aid efforts

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In a social media post, Stephanie Williams, a US diplomat and former UN envoy to Libya, urged global mobilisation to continue aid efforts in the wake of the flood. Williams warned of the predilection of the country's predatory ruling class to use the pretext of sovereignty and 'national ownership' to steer such a process on their own and in a self-interested manner.

Derna struggles to cope with thousands of corpses

Residents and rescue workers in Derna are struggling to cope with the thousands of corpses washing up or decaying under rubble. The World Health Organization (WHO) had earlier urged authorities in Libya to stop burying flood victims in mass graves, saying these could bring long-term mental distress to families or cause health risks if located near water.

Since the flood ravaged the city, over 1,000 people had so far been buried in that manner, a UN report said. 

(With inputs from agencies)

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