Egypt mourns victims of Morocco earthquake and Libya storm

Egypt has declared three days of national mourning for the victims of natural disasters in Morocco and Libya.

A 6.8 magnitude earthquake that struck Morocco on 8 September has left close to 2,900 dead and more than 2,560 injured, destroying homes and entire villages.

In Libya, Storm Daniel ripped through the Mediterranean district of Derna; dams above Derna collapsed, “sweeping whole neighborhoods with their residents into the sea”, according Libyan officials. Some 2,000 lost their lives, and another 10,000 are missing.

President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi gave orders to the Egyptian army to provide “all possible humanitarian aid, rescue teams, equipment and camps to shelter survivors, in coordination with Libyan and Moroccan authorities”, presidential spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said in a statement. The aid will be delivered “by air and sea”, he said.

On his social media account, President Sisi offered sincere condolences to “our brothers in Morocco and Libya”.