Derna devastated by floods, death toll over 1,000

Web Desk

12th Sep, 2023. 05:48 pm
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Derna devastated by floods, death toll over 1,000

Over 1,000 people died in Derna, Libya, after floods.
10,000 people missing.
Entire neighborhoods were destroyed.

There are deceased individuals scattered throughout the area, according to the official from the eastern-based government.

Derna, with a population of around 100,000, is heavily inundated due to the collapse of two dams and four bridges.

The Red Cross has indicated that approximately 10,000 people are missing as a consequence of the flooding caused by Storm Daniel, which struck on Sunday and also affected other eastern cities such as Benghazi, Soussa, and Al-Marj.

Hichem Chkiouat, who serves as the aviation minister and is a member of the eastern government’s emergency response committee, conveyed via phone to Reuters that the number of recovered bodies in Derna has surpassed 1,000.

“I am not exaggerating when I say that 25% of the city has disappeared. Many, many buildings have collapsed.”

Tamer Ramadan, the leader of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) in Libya, has informed the press that the death toll is expected to be substantial.

Speaking via video link from neighboring Tunisia, he said: “Our teams on the ground are still doing their assessment… we don’t have a definite number right now. The number of missing people is hitting 10,000 persons so far.”

Earlier, Eastern Prime Minister Osama Hamad put the death toll at 2,000, telling a Libyan TV channel: “Entire neighborhoods in Derna have disappeared, along with their residents… swept away by water.”

In addition to the eastern regions, the western city of Misrata also experienced the impact of the floods.

Since the overthrow and subsequent death of longtime leader Colonel Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, Libya has been mired in political turmoil.

This has resulted in a divided nation with an interim government recognized internationally, based in the capital, Tripoli, and another administration operating in the eastern part of the country.

As noted by Libyan journalist Abdulkader Assad, this political division is hindering rescue operations because the different authorities are unable to respond promptly and effectively to a natural disaster.

“There are no rescue teams, there are no trained rescuers in Libya. Everything over the last 12 years was about war,” he told the media.

“There are two governments in Libya… and that is slowing down the help that is coming to Libya because it’s a little bit confusing. You have people who are pledging help but the help is not coming.”

The administration based in Tripoli has dispatched an aircraft carrying 14 tons of medical supplies, body bags, and over 80 doctors and paramedics.

The United States special envoy to Libya, Richard Norton, has announced that Washington is set to assist eastern Libya in collaboration with UN partners and the Libyan authorities.

Several countries, including Egypt, Germany, Iran, Italy, Qatar, and Turkey, have either sent or are prepared to send aid to the affected regions.

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