In a tragic turn of events, an Egyptian village has reported the loss of 74 of its inhabitants in the floods and torrential downpours in Libya. Residents of Al-Sharif village in Bba center, Bani Suef governorate, located in the southern part of Egypt, woke up on Tuesday morning to the grim news of the deaths of their fellow villagers due to Hurricane “Daniel”, which ravaged the Libyan city of Derna.
Speaking to Al-Arabiya.net, a village local reported that nearly 3,000 individuals from Al-Sharif have been working in Libya across various professions for several years, many of whom are closely related. Tragically, among the victims are three siblings and seven members from a single family.
Libya experienced a severe cyclone resulting in the deaths of over 2,000 individuals, in addition to hundreds who remain unaccounted for. Libyan authorities have dispatched the bodies of 145 Egyptians who perished in the cyclone and subsequent floods in recent days.
An official Libyan source informed Al-Arabiya.net that the remains of the Egyptians have reached the Tobruk morgue and preparations are underway to repatriate them to Egypt via the Salloum land crossing.
Libyan authorities have urged all foreigners to report any missing individuals for search and rescue operations. They also advised residents and those living in the valleys in Tobruk to evacuate and restrict travel on main roads for safety reasons, urging them to stay away from the coastline.
On Tuesday afternoon, an Egyptian military delegation led by Lieutenant General Osama Askar, the Chief of Staff, arrived in Libya, executing directives from President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi. This showcases Egypt’s support and solidarity towards the Libyan populace in times of crises. The visit will focus on ways to offer all forms of urgent logistical and humanitarian aid in collaboration with specialized Libyan agencies.
Egypt has decided to establish an air bridge starting with the deployment of three military aircraft laden with medical and food supplies, accompanied by 25 equipped rescue teams. Another aircraft will be deployed for medical evacuation of the injured. President El-Sisi directed the armed forces to provide comprehensive humanitarian support, including relief teams, rescue equipment, and shelter camps for those affected, in coordination with Libyan institutions.
The Egyptian Foreign Ministry announced its continuous monitoring of the aftermath of the Libyan cyclone, which resulted in numerous Egyptian casualties and missing persons. They have established a hotline for communication between the Egyptian Foreign Ministry and the consulate in Benghazi. This initiative aims to stay updated with the latest developments regarding the conditions of Egyptian citizens in the affected areas, as well as search and rescue efforts.
The Ministry emphasized that coordination is ongoing with all national entities, especially considering the communication blackouts in many regions and the destruction of primary access roads.
Libya, a North African country, and Egypt share strong socio-economic ties. With many Egyptians working in Libya, such natural disasters not only highlight the vulnerability of regions to climate change but also underline the interconnected fates of neighboring countries. The shared history and mutual dependencies make such tragedies deeply felt across borders, pushing for unified regional disaster response mechanisms.
