The floods have devastated communities, displacing thousands of people and causing substantial damage to infrastructure and sanitation systems. The mass graves are in close proximity to the flood-stricken areas of the city of Derna and coastal regions, and therefore the risk of water contamination and subsequent disease outbreaks are causing serious concerns.
“Mass graves and thousands of bodies in Derna and in coastal areas can potentially contaminate water supplies. In this backdrop, the biggest risk to survivors is emerging from contaminated water supplies that they are relying on to drink”, says Asif Shahab, Muslim Aid’s Humanitarian Programmes Manager.
“There is a growing panic that Derna will be infected with an epidemic resulting from a heavy number of bodies under the rubble and in the water. There is an extensive collapsing of sanitation and water treatment services. In case this happens, diseases could spread quickly in the shape of cholera, diarrhoea, dysentery, hepatitis A, typhoid etc,” he added.
Part of Muslim Aid’s response plan to the devastating floods in Libya has been to deliver clean water and hygiene kits to alleviate the multilateral risk of water contamination. For further information
