Libya

This blessed land -recently was hit by Storm Daniel- on the Mediterranean’s southern coast, has a history rooted in various eras and civilizations, including ancient monuments since the time of the Phoenicians.

In multiple stages of its history, the land of Libya embraced part of the civilization of Carthage, which established large cities in Libya, the most important of which is Tripoli, and competed with the Roman civilization in the arenas of arts, literature, and trade.

Throughout the ages, Libya’s ports and coastal cities have served as a link between East and West, where travelers and merchants have found comfort during their long journeys. In 1951, Libya became an independent state with full sovereignty over its territory after it got rid of the Italian occupation by its undefeated sons. Since then, it become an essential player in the Arab and international theater thanks to its natural resources and thanks to the arms of its sons.

Storm Daniel hits

On Sunday, September 11, 2023, Libya was surprised by an environmental disaster and a great tragedy, as “Storm Daniel” -that formed after highest record temperatures on the planet- hit the coastal cities in the north and east of the country accompanied by heavy rains. The hurricane that blew from the Mediterranean Sea caused the water level to rise in two giant dams, which led to their collapse, and the flow of water destroyed torrents that washed away the soil and led to the demolition of roads, homes, and infrastructure and wiped out nearly a quarter of the city of Derna.

Official authorities have declared Derna a disaster city and issued urgent relief appeals. There were conflicting reports about the number of martyrs missing as a result of the floods due to the horror of the disaster, as the flowing water pushed bodies into the sea and pulled parts of the city towards it.

At the time of this article, the number of deaths exceeded 10,000, while the number of missing from the disaster is estimated to be much higher. If the sight of corpses thrown to the coast by the sea after the storm is the most painful, the sight of demolished houses, flattened houses, and cut roads adds to the sadness, as trees and stones have been destroyed so that large parts of Derna have become a ghost town.

The images and videos circulated by media channels and social media users on the Internet, along with satellite imagery, show the scale of the devastation and the horror that has befallen the region, but they cannot describe the pain that people are experiencing on the ground.

While feelings of shock and shock still dominate, survivors of the stricken Derna are burying Hundreds of relatives and friends in mass graves after their bodies have been identified, and survivors of the disaster still have a lot of work to do to heal the wounds and heal the shaggy. It is a burden that should be supported with consciences and sincere human feelings.

Hayat Yolu Relief Project in Libya

In this context, Hayat Yolo is launching an urgent relief campaign to support Libya and the people who survived and were affected victims of the disaster. Hayat Yolo works in coordination with official bodies, civil society organizations in Libya, and Libyan activists to provide basic and emergency aid that can help mitigate the impact of the disaster on survivors.

Libya, a country that always steadfast in the face of all challenges, will certainly overcome this crisis. But we can all contribute to accelerating the recovery by supporting and assisting Libya and its people to rise again.