Eko Hot Blog reports that an official in eastern Libya has denied allegations that many of those killed in devastating floods last weekend were told to stay in their homes.
Othman Abdul Jalil, a spokesperson for the Benghazi-based government, told the BBC that soldiers warned people in the city of Derna to flee. He denied that people were told not to evacuate, but conceded some may have felt the threat was exaggerated.
The floods have caused a humanitarian crisis in Libya, with thousands of people killed, missing, and displaced. The country’s fragmented political situation is complicating the recovery, as the two rival governments struggle to coordinate aid efforts.
Aid agencies are slowly starting to arrive in Derna, but there is still a desperate need for food, water, shelter, and medical supplies. The World Health Organization has warned that there is a risk of a disease outbreak, and has urged aid workers to stop burying bodies in mass graves.
The Libyan government has promised to investigate the allegations that flood victims were told to stay indoors. However, with so many people still missing, it is unclear when the full extent of the tragedy will be known.
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