A man who lost 10 relatives in the flood that swept through the Libyan city of Derna has spoken of the “senseless destruction”.
Mohammed Sultan Tajouri, 25, a quantity surveyor from Ardwick, Manchester, said: “It’s taking a while to draw.”
He added: “It was absolutely devastating. My father, who has a lot of family in Derna, was on his phone 24/7.”
More than 5,300 people are believed to have died in the floods that hit the city on Sunday.
Members of Manchester’s 5,000 strong Libyan community said they were united in grief and shock at the tragedy.
Mr Tajour said: “It is not inconsiderate with this death around us.
“Our community has been here since the 80s and we’ve been through everything, including change, but these are the most challenging times ever.”
Pats are already collecting and dispatching help from a depot in Manchester.
Saad Amer, from the charity group Wafa Relief, said: “I know of a community that lost 75 members of its family.
“I called him and there is real pain in the community in Manchester. There is grief everywhere.”
A flood swept through Derna on Sunday, after a dam burst during Storm Daniel.
Rescue teams are digging through the ruins of collapsed buildings in hopes of finding survivors, but hope is dwindling and the death toll is still expected to rise.
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