Storm Daniel

London, 13 September 2023 — Libya in the UK (LYUK), a UK-based community charity, has raised more than £129,000 from over 3,000 donors in just 24 hours to support emergency relief for communities devastated by Storm Daniel in eastern Libya. The catastrophic floods that followed the failure of two dams near the coast in Derna and surrounding towns destroyed entire neighbourhoods, left an estimated death toll exceeding 3,000 and left at least 10,000 people missing, creating an urgent need for food, shelter and lifesaving supplies.

LYUK launched an emergency appeal in response to the scale of the disaster and the limited international coverage in the immediate days after the storm. The appeal mobilised rapid grassroots giving from Libyan communities across the UK and from supporters who responded to social media calls for help, fundraising pages and local volunteer drives. The funds raised will be channelled directly into the hardest-hit areas through partner organisations on the ground, with LYUK working in close coordination with the Libyan Red Crescent and the Libyan Scouts in Benghazi to distribute food, emergency shelter, hygiene and non-food items, and other essential aid to families displaced by the floods.

“The scale of devastation in Derna is unlike anything Libya has seen in recent memory,” said a LYUK spokesperson. “Entire neighbourhoods were washed away and the city’s infrastructure was not designed to withstand extreme rainfall of this magnitude. Our emergency appeal was about immediately mobilising community resources to get help where it was needed most.” The spokesperson added that the extraordinary outpouring of support from the Libyan diaspora in the UK and from international supporters demonstrates the strength and solidarity of the community in times of crisis.

LYUK is committed to transparency and impact. Donations raised through the emergency appeal will be monitored and reported back to supporters, and the charity will publish updates on how funds are being used and on the logistics of aid distribution in partnership with local humanitarian organisations. Beyond immediate relief, LYUK will continue to support recovery efforts that focus on shelter, basic services and community-led rebuilding as needs become clearer in the weeks and months ahead.

For those who wish to support ongoing relief efforts or to learn more about the emergency appeal, please visit https://libyaintheuk.org/emergency-appeal. Media enquiries can be directed to info@libyaintheuk.org.

Libya in the UK (LYUK) is an independent, youth-led non-governmental organisation that acts as a hub for Libyans living in the United Kingdom. LYUK fosters community connections, promotes Libyan art and culture, supports young talent and entrepreneurship, and provides platforms for networking and knowledge exchange. The charity’s work combines grassroots community engagement with targeted programmes designed to build resilience and opportunity for Libyans across the UK.

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