Libya floods: South Shields woman loses seven relatives

A woman has told of her devastation at losing seven members of her family in the Libya floods just a month after visiting them.

Hanna Elkaram, from South Shields, lost two uncles and five cousins in the floods on 10 September.

More than 11,000 people are thought to have died in the city of Derna, with 30,000 left homeless.

Ms Elkaram, 18, said her visit now feels like she was saying "goodbye" to family without realising it.

She told BBC Radio Newcastle four other family members remain missing, adding: "It is quite difficult knowing that I've lost relatives and, thinking back to when we went back to Libya, my mam was saying it was like our visit was like us saying goodbye to them.

"The more I think about it the more I think that was true. It's just heart-breaking to be honest.

"We are still in contact with a few of my cousins and two of my uncles, however the internet and the signal and electricity keeps going off. There is aid slowly getting into the city, but it's not enough.

"For a family of five they are giving them milk, bread and cheese, that's not enough for a family. They need more."

Entire neighbourhoods disappeared into the sea as a huge tsunami-like torrent of water swept the port city of Derna in eastern Libya.

Survivors described the situation as "beyond catastrophic".

"Exactly a month ago I was in Derna with my uncles and cousins and it's hard to think the city has been split in half and houses are gone, apartments are gone and whole family lineages wiped off the face of the earth," Ms Elkaram said.

"To think I was standing in that city feeling happy, experiencing life. It's a massive shock.

"You want to be there, you want to help the people."

Ms Elkaram urged people to get in touch with their local mosques, many of which are fundraising for the victims of the floods and collecting aid donations.

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