Catastrophic Flooding in Libya: Record Death Toll and Shocking Aftermath
Date: 2023-09-15 Author: Dima Zakharov Categories: WORLD
The Devastation in Derna
The city of Derna has borne the brunt of this disaster, with thousands of residents losing their lives, many of whom had to be laid to rest in mass graves. The total death toll is feared to climb to 20,000 people in total.
The publication highlighted that rescue efforts and body retrieval operations have been complicated by the ongoing internal conflict that has divided the nation between competing eastern and western administrations. The internationally recognized Government of National Unity is based in Tripoli in the west, while a parallel administration operates in the east under the control of the Libyan National Army's Khalifa Haftar, who failed to capture Tripoli during the bloody 14-month siege that concluded in 2020.
Preventing the Loss of Thousands of Lives
The National Meteorological Center of Libya issued early warnings about the extreme weather event at the onset of Storm "Daniel." However, experts were unable to foresee the risks associated with potential dam failures, as stated by Petteri Taalas, the Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization.
Taalas emphasized that meteorologists in Libya work under challenging conditions, with meteorological center IT systems malfunctioning and a severe lack of personnel. "The tragedy in Libya underscores the devastating and cascading consequences of extreme weather conditions for unstable states and underscores the need for early warning of multiple hazards that affect all levels of government and society," Taalas stated.
What We Know About the Flooding in Libya
On Sunday, September 10th, Storm "Daniel" swept over the Mediterranean Sea, inundating roads and destroying buildings in Derna. Many residential homes, hospitals, and infrastructure facilities have been submerged. Entire neighborhoods in Derna have been swept away. Over 700 unidentified bodies have been collected in cemeteries, and local authorities claim that thousands of people are missing. Many have been washed into the Mediterranean Sea, and for several days, waves have been washing their bodies ashore. Whole families have perished, with many being buried in large mass graves.
