Sri Lanka closely monitoring flood situation in Libya

COLOMBO (News 1st); Sri Lankan authorites are closely monitoring the flood situation in Libya, to determine is any Sri Lankans were affected.

The country's Foreign Minister Ali Sabry, PC told reporters in Colombo on Thursday (14) that officials are in touch with the relevant overseas missions to gather information.

He said that Sri Lanka will be providing symbolic assistance to the people of Libya, and will be arranging a consignment of tea in a bid to support the Liyan people.

A global effort to assist Libya’s countless victims also gathered pace on Thursday (14). 

On Wednesday (13) evening, a Turkish ship carrying equipment to set up two field hospitals in Libya with 148 medical staff left the city of Izmir, according to Turkey’s Health Minister Fahrettin Koca.

A naval vessel from Italy is also expected to head to Libya on Thursday (14) to provide logistical and medical support.

Several other countries and bodies, including Algeria, Egypt, France, Iran, Jordan, Kuwait, Qatar, the UAE, the United Kingdom, the United States, the United Nations, and the European Union, have helped in numerous ways from militarily to medically in recent days.

Derna has borne the brunt of the disaster, its Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi said on Wednesday, estimating the number of deaths in the city could reach between 18,000 to 20,000.

As of Wednesday, at least 30,000 people had been displaced by the flooding in Derna, the UN’s International Organization for Migration said.

(With inputs from agencies)