Heavy rainfalls force over 2,500 Libyans to flee homes: UNHCR

GENEVA - More than 2,500 Libyans have been forced to flee their homes after heavy rainfalls caused severe flooding in the town of Ghat, some 1,300 km southwest of Tripoli, the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.

In a press release, the UNHCR said the rains, which started on May 28, have already claimed the lives of four people, while 30 more are injured.

According to the UN agency, the telecommunications network has been disrupted for days. In some areas, houses and crops have been destroyed, and people reliant on their farmland as their sole source of income are set to face major challenges ahead.

"All 20,000 of Ghat's inhabitants are now in need of humanitarian support. Shelter, food and basic items are urgently needed," the UN agency said.

It added that further rainfall, albeit of reduced intensity, is expected in the coming days, worsening the challenges and risks.