China's urgent relief supplies arrive in floods-hit Libya

China's cargo plane carrying urgent relief supplies arrives at the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Sept. 24, 2023. (Photo by Ibrahim Hadia al-Majbri/Xinhua)

TRIPOLI, Sept. 24 (Xinhua) -- Carrying 90 tons of emergency humanitarian aid to floods-hit Libya, a Chinese cargo plane arrived Sunday at the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi.

First aid kits, water purifiers, tents, blankets, ultrasound diagnostic systems, life jackets, and other relief materials were unloaded at the Benina International Airport, in the presence of Omar Abu-Dabous, the secretary-general of the Libyan Red Crescent, as well as senior Libyan and Chinese diplomats.

On Sept. 10, Mediterranean storm Daniel triggered Libya's worst floods in decades, resulting in the death of thousands and widespread damage to the region's infrastructure, especially water supply and sewage infrastructure.

Water contamination has led to the poisoning of dozens of people, mainly children, in floods-hit areas where access to clean water was limited, according to Libyan authorities.

China's cargo plane carrying urgent relief supplies arrives at the eastern Libyan city of Benghazi on Sept. 24, 2023.(Photo by Ibrahim Hadia al-Majbri /Xinhua)

Witnessing the handover at the airport, Chinese Charge d'Affaires to Libya Liu Jian said it is hoped that Chinese aid would assist Libya in overcoming the effects of the disaster and getting the affected areas back to normal.

China remains ready to keep communicating and coordinating with the Libyan authorities to provide more support for Libya in its rescue and relief operation and reconstruction work, he noted.

Also at the airport, Libyan Charge d'Affaires to China Khaled Al-Sayah told Xinhua that the timely support from China reflects the deep friendship between the two countries.

Earlier, the Red Cross Society of China delivered 200,000 U.S. dollars in cash to the Libyan Red Crescent as emergency humanitarian assistance for the country's disaster response efforts following the floods.