Libya's floods, which killed thousands in the city of Derna, also displaced more than 43,000 people, the International Organization for Migration said Thursday.

In a post on X, formerly known as Twitter, the IOM added that the lack of clean water supplies appeared to be driving many displaced people out of Derna to municipalites to the east and west of the Mediterranean city.

"Urgent needs include food, drinking water and mental health and psychosocial support," the organization added.

Mobile and internet services were restored Thursday after a two-day disruption, following protests Monday that saw angry residents blame the authorities for the high death toll.

The national telecom company said communications were down as a result of "a rupture in the optical fibre" link to Derna, but some internet users and analysts charged there had been a deliberate "blackout".

Earlier this week, the United Nations warned that disease outbreaks could bring "a second devastating crisis" to the flood-hit areas.

Local officials, aid agencies and the World Health Organization "are concerned about the risk of disease outbreak, particularly from contaminated water and the lack of sanitation", the UN said.

Libya's disease control centre warned that mains water in the disaster zone is polluted and called on residents not to use it.