Egypt declares 3 days of national mourning in solidarity with Libya, Morocco 

Egypt has officially declared three days of mourning in solidarity with the victims of the earthquake in Morocco and the storm in Libya, which claimed thousands of lives, the presidency announced.

“President Abdel Fattah Al-Sisi extended his as well as the Egyptian people’s sincere condolences over the victims of the humanitarian catastrophes in Morocco and Libya,” spokesman Ahmed Fahmy said.

“Three days of mourning have been declared in the Arab Republic of Egypt in solidarity with the brothers in Morocco and Libya,” he added.

Fahmy said Al-Sisi has given directives to the Egyptian Armed Forces to provide immediate humanitarian aid to both countries.

READ: Libya floods wipe out quarter of city, 10,000 feared missing

Storm Daniel swept eastern Libya on Sunday afternoon, causing hundreds of deaths and severe damage to infrastructure and public facilities.

On Wednesday, a minister in the regional administration told Reuters that more than 5,300 bodies have been counted in the Libyan city of Derna and the death toll is expected to increase significantly and may even double after dams collapsed and bodies were swept away by torrents.

About ten thousand people are believed to be missing after torrential rains and floods in Libya.

In Morocco, search and rescue operations continue for survivors more than 72 hours after the devastating earthquake that left about 2,900 people dead.