Turkish ambassador visits Libya's flood-ravaged Derna city

TRIPOLI, Libya

Turkish Ambassador to Libya Kenan Yilmaz on Thursday visited Derna, which has been devastated by massive flooding caused by Storm Daniel and the subsequent destruction of two dams.

The parliamentary-appointed government said in a statement that Prime Minister Osama Hamad and several ministers accompanied Ambassador Yilmaz on his visit, aimed at "determining the extent of damage caused to the city as a result of the hurricane that struck it," the Libyan government said.

Yilmaz visited a "field hospital established by the Turkish government to provide assistance to hurricane victims," according to the statement.

The tour, the statement said, also included "discussions of the efforts of Türkiye's State Disaster and Emergency Management Authority’s crews (AFAD) in Derna and the role they play in rescue and recovery operations, in addition to close cooperation with other local and international bodies."

Under the coordination of AFAD, the Turkish Red Crescent and various NGOs continue to work with a team of 516 people in Libya to mitigate the effects of the disaster.

Hamad expressed his gratitude for "the support and cooperation provided by the Turkish crew since their arrival in Derna, which contributed to saving the lives of many people who were under the rubble of buildings that were swept away by torrents and floods."

On Saturday, the Turkish Defense Ministry announced the dispatch of a third ship loaded with humanitarian aid to Libya.

Nearly 4,000 people were killed in floods caused by Storm Daniel in Libya on Sept. 10, while more than 40,000 have been displaced, according to UN figures.

At least 59 relief cargo planes from 24 countries have landed in Libya to help those affected by the floods, the Libyan unity government said late Wednesday.

Libya's Tripoli-based High Council of State, which acts as a senate, demanded an international investigation Wednesday into the deadly floods.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat