DFA: No Filipino casualties in Libya floods

Libya on 13 September was counting its dead with 2,300 people confirmed killed when enormous flash floods unleashed by Storm Daniel hit the eastern city of Derna, where the Red Cross warned that 10,000 are missing. (Photo by The Libyan Red Crescent / AFP)
The Department of Foreign Affairs on Wednesday said that there were no reported Filipino casualties in the destructive floods in Libya that displaced at least 30,000 individuals.
"There are no reported Filipino casualties," the DFA said citing a report from the Philippine Embassy in Libya.
According to the DFA, there are an estimated 1,100 Filipinos in eastern Libya, of which 90 are residing in the areas badly hit by Storm Daniel.
There are also 30 Filipinos in the district of Dema, 50 in the district of Jabel al Akhdar, and 10 in Tobruk.
"The Filipinos in these areas are mostly nurses and clinical instructors," the agency said.
The Philippine Embassy in Libya, in coordination with the Filipino community leaders in the affected areas, said that Filipinos were relocated to higher grounds by hospital management.
"The Filipinos, as nurses continue to work in hospitals," it said.
The agency said communication is difficult as electricity has not been restored in most areas.
"Tripoli PE (Philippine Embassy) has reached out to the Filipino community leaders there and continues to monitor developments in regard to the disaster," it said.
More than 2,000 bodies have already recovered from the areas affected by the flood, the death toll is expected to increase as at least 10,000 individuals are reportedly still missing.
