TRIPOLI, Sept. 19 (Xinhua) -- Libyan Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah on Tuesday issued instructions to launch free-of-charge flights for volunteers between the capital Tripoli and Eastern Libya which was hit by deadly floods last week.
"The prime minister issued instructions to launch free-of-charge flights for any rescue and emergency teams or volunteers wanting to return to Tripoli (from Eastern Libya), or any such teams or volunteers to travel to the stricken areas to provide help," the government said in a statement.
Dbeibah also required to form a government team to provide social and psychological support in the stricken areas.
The teams will be formed in coordination between the Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Social Affairs, and the Government's Emergency and Rapid Response Team, it said.
Meanwhile, the United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) on Tuesday said that it has provided 53 metric tons of humanitarian supplies to help people affected by the floods.
"Fifty-three metric tons of humanitarian supplies from one of UNHCR's biggest stockpiles in the world located in Dubai have reached Benghazi (Eastern Libya) today through a humanitarian airlift," UNHCR said in a statement.
"Thousands of people affected by Storm Daniel will benefit from the items which include plastic sheets, kitchen sets, solar lamps, blankets, and other relief items," the statement said.
On September 10, Mediterranean storm Daniel triggered the largest and worst floods in Libya in decades, which have claimed at least 5,500 lives and left another 10,000 missing, causing severe damage to infrastructure. ■
