Abu Dhabi: The UAE search-and-rescue team has helped in finding 166 missing victims of the Storm Daniel in the city of Derna in Libya’s eastern part.
The Ministry of Interior said the team, which was despatched to Libya three weeks ago, continues to help in finding storm-affected as well as retrieving bodies from destroyed homes and from under the rubble.
In a statement on its official account on “X”, the ministry said the Emirati search and rescue team, with the support of the competent Libyan authorities and teams, is contributing to helping the affected and displaced people, providing aid and relief to them, revealing the locations of the victims, and recovering bodies from damaged homes and from under the rubble.
The team, comprising 34 members equipped with vehicles, jet skis and search-and-rescue equipment, arrived three weeks ago to help in finding missing survivors and recovering bodies.
Storm Daniel caused havoc and flash floods in many towns in eastern Libya, with the worst damage in the city of Derna, where thousands were killed and thousand others still missing.
The city’s dams were destroyed, and floodwaters washed away entire neighbourhoods.
Meanwhile, the UAE-launched air bridge to Libya is continuing to provide relief aid to the Libyan people in line with the directives of President His Highness Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.
To date, 37 aircraft, carrying 815 tonnes of food and medical supplies, shelter materials, as well as first aid supplies, reached Libya, offering support to the areas most affected by the fallout of the disaster, especially eastern Libya, WAM reported. The number of families that benefitted from the UAE-provided aid stands at 7,342.
Powered by cutting-edge equipment and technology, the Emirati team stationed in Libya is steadfast in its efforts to support the most affected.
The Emirates Red Crescent (ERC) team, currently present in the stricken areas in Eastern Libya, is also delivering aid to those affected, in addition to assessing the situation on the field and identifying needs to meet them through the ongoing air bridge flights.
The UAE relief campaign in Libya comprises teams from the ERC, the Zayed Bin Sultan Al Nahyan Charitable and Humanitarian Foundation, the Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan Foundation, and the Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum Charity and Humanitarian Foundation.
