The International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) has expressed concern about the unexploded ordnances and abandoned munitions stores in Derna following the devastating floods that lashed the city last week.
In a publication Thursday, the ICRC said it is "evaluating the risk of unexploded ordnance and abandoned munitions stores" in the city, which poses an additional challenge to residents.
“This disaster was violent and brutal. A wave 7 metres high wiped out buildings and washed infrastructure into the sea. Now family members are missing, dead bodies are washing back up on shore, and homes are destroyed," said Yann Fridez, the head of ICRC’s Libya delegation.
Fridez, who had a team in Derna when the floodwaters overwhelmed Derna, stressed that the city was facing immense emotional trauma.
The Committee explained that the main challenge for humanitarian action is access to the flood-hit areas, as roads have been seriously degraded or destroyed.
"It’s heartening to see a sense of unity among the population and authorities who are uniting to provide as much assistance as possible. But this is a long road now. It will take many months, maybe years, for residents to recover from this huge level of damage," the ICRC quoted Fridez as saying.
Last Sunday, Hurricane Daniel swept through several areas in eastern Libya, most notably Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Sousse, leaving more than 7,000 dead and thousands missing.
