Tropical storm triggers deadly flash floods in Libya, claiming thousands of lives.
Flash Flooding in Libya Leaves Thousands Dead and Missing
Flash flooding in Libya has resulted in a devastating loss of life, with thousands of people killed and at least 10,000 still unaccounted for. Emergency services on the ground have reported that the death toll currently stands at 2,300, but this number is expected to rise.
The catastrophic flooding was triggered by heavy rainfall brought on by Cyclone Daniel, which has proven to be the deadliest Mediterranean storm ever recorded. Over the course of a week, Daniel wreaked havoc across the eastern Mediterranean, claiming numerous lives in Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey before dissipating over Egypt on Tuesday.
However, it is northeastern Libya, particularly the coastal city of Derna, that has borne the brunt of the damage. Home to approximately 90,000 people, Derna experienced nearly 16 inches of rainfall on Sunday and Monday, far exceeding its average annual rainfall of less than 11 inches.
The storm caused the collapse of two dams south of the city, leading to the overflow of the Wadi Derna river and the emergence of 10-foot-high floodwaters, as witnessed by locals.
“The damages are very serious,” said Issam Abu Zureibah, the interior minister for the Tobruk government in eastern Libya. “There are areas that were swept away entirely into the sea.”
Libya has been plagued by internal conflicts and division since the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. The neglect of local infrastructure resulting from these conflicts likely contributed to the dams’ collapse.
Image by Ali Zifan Via Wikimedia Commons
Derna has experienced multiple changes in control, including a brief period under the Islamic State terror group in 2014 before being ousted by another Islamist group the following year. In 2019, the Libyan National Army (LNA) gained control of the city after months of fighting. However, the LNA’s distrust of the locals has persisted, according to Jalel Harchaoui, an associate fellow at the Royal United Services Institute for Defense and Security Studies.
“This mistrust might prove calamitous during the upcoming post-disaster period,” he said.
The LNA government, along with its U.N.-backed rival based in Tripoli and various international aid groups like the Red Crescent, has offered assistance to Derna. However, the extensive damage to roads has hindered evacuation efforts and slowed down the emergency response.
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