People stand in a damaged road as a powerful storm and heavy rainfall flooded hit Shahhat city, Libya, September 11, 2023. REUTERS/Omar Jarhman
According to a government minister, authorities in eastern Libya have requested that journalists vacate the flood-affected city of Derna. They cited the presence of a significant number of journalists as hindering the efforts of rescue teams.
“It is an attempt to create better conditions for the rescue teams to carry out the work more smoothly and effectively,” Hichem Abu Chkiouat, minister of civil aviation in the administration that runs eastern Libya, said by phone.
“The large number of journalists has become an impediment to the work of rescue teams.”