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Where are you at the moment?
Talal Burnaz: I am currently at our office in Tripoli.

Before that you were in Derna, one of the hardest hit cities. What is the situation in the city at the moment?
I was there a week ago. The situation is catastrophic. Thousands of buildings have been destroyed. Entire parts of the city were swept away by the volume of water. The high waves washed the infrastructure into the sea. Cars floating in muddy water. The drinking water supply has been seriously damaged. There is a risk of diseases spreading through the contaminated water. Dozens of children are already sick.

What are your tasks, how do you help in the crisis area?
As part of the medical team, it is our job to guarantee basic medical care. Our team works in a field hospital and mainly administers medications, especially against the most common diseases in the country: high blood pressure, diabetes, cardiovascular diseases. We also support people with psychosocial help. Thousands of people have lost their belongings. I don't know where their relatives are. You are facing an uncertain future.

What do people need most urgently right now?
At this time, people mainly need psychological support, but also support in the form of clean drinking water, food and shelter. The drinking water supply in particular is a major problem. Thousands of people do not have access to clean drinking water.

What are the biggest difficulties in your work at the moment?
The biggest challenge is to take care of everyone. The infrastructure in many areas has been so badly damaged by the floods that it is difficult for us to reach people. Access roads have been washed away and bridges are buried under mud. The distribution of relief supplies is therefore not running smoothly.

How do people deal with the situation?
The population is still in a state of shock. You can see it in their eyes. Feel it when they talk. It's a disaster. Even the helpers are stunned by the scale of the disaster.

What was the most emotional moment you experienced during your deployment?
There were moments that got under your skin. I met many people crying on the ruins of their destroyed homes. I have worked professionally in many conflict areas in Libya, but I have never experienced anything like this. I remember a young mother begging me to help her find her children. She said, "I have a feeling they're still alive."

In recent days, it has been reported that burying bodies in mass graves could cause serious problems, such as diseases. How do you experience the situation?
As long as the bodies do not come into contact with water sources, there is no danger to health. The problem is different: funerals are sometimes rushed and relatives are not given enough time to identify the bodies.

Libya is one of the most heavily mined countries in the world. What is the risk that the floods have carried landmines to other areas?
It can be assumed that the floods washed landmines out of the ground and into other places. As thousands of displaced people seek refuge in other cities, the risk of coming into contact with explosive weapons is increasing.

The political situation is difficult. Three days ago, many people protested against the government in eastern Libya. What do you know about it?
As a humanitarian aid worker, I am not allowed to comment on political issues.

It was reported that internet access was being restricted by the government in an attempt to contain the protests. Will this affect the work of the supporting NGOs?
We actually had problems with the internet connection. This had a negative impact on our work. For example, we could not reach our team when we wanted to provide them with new medicines.