Libyan parliament allocates $2 billion in response to deadly floods

TRIPOLI, Libya

The Libyan House of Representatives approved an emergency budget Thursday of 10 billion Libyan dinars ($2 billion) to mitigate the destruction caused by Storm Daniel.

The motion was approved in an emergency session in Benghazi, lawmaker Mohamed Tamer told Anadolu.

The budget will be allocated for "reconstructing the affected areas, as well as paying compensation to those affected by the hurricane," he said.

Tamer said committees were formed in the session to monitor spending and stressed that disbursement would be made in agreement with the Central Bank of Libya.

At least 6,000 people have been killed and thousands remain missing from weekend floods in eastern Libya, according to officials.

Torrential rains swept through several regions, most notably the cities of Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Soussa.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat