The Catastrophic Impact on an Egyptian Village 560 Miles Apart from Libya's Floods

In the town of al-Sharif in northern Egypt, the devastating floods that hit the Libyan city of Derna this week have had a profound impact. Despite being almost 560 miles (900km) away from the disaster, the community in al-Sharif has experienced significant losses. Seventy-four men between the ages of 18 and 30, who had been working in Libya in the hopes of improving their lives, have lost their lives in the floods. Walking through al-Sharif, you can see house after house holding mourning ceremonies. One of the largest families in the town, the al-Dabaa family, mourns the loss of 16 of its members. Jumaa al-Sayyid, a 50-year-old farmer and father of three sons who died, regrets helping his children raise money for their journey to Libya. Another mother, Fatima Muhammad, a widow and farmer, mourns the loss of her three sons and vows to raise their children alone. The people of al-Sharif fear that even more individuals from the village are missing, including approximately 100 residents who were living in Derna. Raya Faisal, who lost contact with her two sons due to disrupted communication caused by the storm, prays for their safety. Many young men from al-Sharif have sought work in Libya due to the region's high poverty rates. In Beni Suef, the area where al-Sharif is located, over 60% of the population lives in poverty. Despite the chaos in Libya since the uprising in 2011, Egyptians have become one of the largest groups of migrant workers in the country. It is estimated that over 140,000 Egyptians currently reside in Libya. The situation in Libya remains precarious, with two rival governments and the constant threat of further violence. The Egyptian government is working to determine the number of Egyptian casualties in the floods to provide financial compensation to the affected families.