Arab world rushes to help victims of disasters in Libya, Morocco

Jeddah: The Arab community sprang into action to help those who had been affected by natural calamities in Libya and Morocco.

In eastern Libya, disastrous floods brought on by Storm Daniel left more than 2,000 people dead and at least 10,000 missing, mostly in and around the city of Derna.

A 6.8-magnitude earthquake that slammed Morocco late on Friday near the High Atlas mountains 72 kilometres southwest of Marrakech left approximately 3,000 people dead. The earthquake completely destroyed entire villages.

Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Egypt, Algeria, Jordan, Iraq, Kuwait, Tunisia and Turkiye offered assistance, Arab News reported.

The Kingdom on Tuesday expressed grief and solidarity with “Libya and its brotherly people, and the victims of the floods.” King Salman and Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman earlier authorised relief planes to Morocco. The crown prince also called King Mohammed to express the Kingdom's support for Morocco and its people.

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi proclaimed a three-day period of national mourning and ordered members of the armed forces to deliver humanitarian aid, including relief teams, rescue tools, and shelter camps for Libya and Morocco.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, the UAE president, issued an order to send teams of search and rescue personnel and urgent relief supplies to Libya.

Jordan's King Abdullah issued an aid order to Libya and declared that his nation was "in solidarity with Libya during these tragic circumstances."

Ahmed Hachani, the prime minister of Tunisia, made a phone call to Abdul Hamid Al-Dabaiba, the head of the Libyan Government of National Accord, to offer his "sincere condolences to the brotherly Libyan people."

Derna, a city on the Mediterranean coast, was completely destroyed; buildings on the riverbanks crumbled, and houses and vehicles disappeared in the rushing seas. A UN representative called it "a calamity of epic proportions."

More than 2,300 people were confirmed dead at the initial report, along with 7,000 injuries and 10,000 persons still missing, according to emergency services in Derna alone.

“The situation in Derna is shocking,” said Osama Ali of the Rescue and Emergency Service in Tripoli. “We need more support to save lives because there are people still under the rubble and every minute counts.”

After spending their fourth night outside, earthquake survivors in Morocco struggled in makeshift shelters on Tuesday. While Italy, Belgium, France, and Germany stated their offers of assistance had not yet been approved, rescuers from Spain, Britain, and Qatar were assisting Morocco's search teams.

People living in isolated locations that were cut off by landslides that obstructed access roads faced the most dire circumstances. Mehdi Ait Bouyali, 24, claimed that while passing motorists had given his group of survivors food and blankets, the state had provided none.“The villages of the valley have been forgotten. We need any kind of help. We need tents,” he said.