TEHRAN - The Iranian Red Crescent Society has announced readiness to send humanitarian assistance and dispatch relief teams to Libya to assist the flood-affected people.

Authorities in eastern Libya said at least 2,000 people were killed and thousands more were missing after a massive flood ripped through the city of Derna following a heavy storm and rain.

“On behalf of the Red Crescent Society of the Islamic Republic of Iran (IRCS), I would like to take this opportunity to express my compliments to you and your esteemed colleagues in the Libyan Red Crescent Society,” Pir-Hossein Kolivand, the IRCS head, wrote in a message to Omar Agouda, the president of Libyan Red Crescent Society.

“With great sorrow, I have learned about the occurrence of Daniel storm & severe flood in Libya which unfortunately caused the death of 150 people, injuries and missing of many people as well as extensive damages to the public and private buildings in Derna city located at 150 miles of east of Benghazi.”

“In this hard situation, on behalf of the IRCS and myself, I would like to express my condolence to you and your colleagues in the Libyan Red Crescent and announce our readiness to send humanitarian relief consignment, relief items as well as dispatch the medical and relief teams to assist the flood affected people and humanitarian operation in Libya.

“I convey the IRCS sympathy with those lost loved ones and wish you, your staff, and volunteers all the best in humanitarian efforts to render services to the vulnerable people.”

Ahmed Mismari, the spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA) that controls eastern Libya, said in a televised news conference that the disaster came after dams above Derna had collapsed, "sweeping whole neighborhoods with their residents into the sea".

Mismari put the number of missing at 5,000-6,000.

MG