Catastrophic situation in Libya following the passage of storm 'Daniel'
Once again, a natural disaster has struck North Africa. A few days after the devastating earthquake in Morocco, the Maghreb has once again been shaken by the force of nature. This time it has hit Libya, where more than 2,000 people have been killed by floods caused by storm 'Daniel, according to Ossama Hamad, Prime Minister of the eastern Libyan government. Hamad described the situation as "catastrophic and unprecedented", according to Libya's state news agency.
The city of Derna in eastern Libya has been declared a disaster zone after Medicane Daniel caused catastrophic flash flooding across the area overnight. Many residential buildings have been destroyed along the riverbanks. I fear we might be facing a mass casualty event. pic.twitter.com/QoVp8vzjpp
— Nahel Belgherze (@WxNB_) September 11, 2023
The epicentre of the tragedy is in Derna, a coastal city in the east of the country, where two dams have collapsed, submerging much of the town, destroying three bridges and flooding entire neighbourhoods.
In addition to the more than 2,000 dead, between 5,000 and 6,000 people are estimated to be missing, according to local authorities in the east of the country. However, due to the political division in the country as a result of the wars following the overthrow of dictator Muammar Gaddafi, it is difficult to officially confirm the figures.
The devastation is as far as the eye can reach. #Derna desperately needs international assistance! Estimates are rising into the thousands of dead. #Libya pic.twitter.com/OgPrTXVmqv
— Anas El Gomati (@AGomati) September 12, 2023
"There are corpses everywhere: in the sea, in the valleys, under buildings," Libya's Civil Aviation Minister and member of the emergency committee, Hichem Chkiouat, told Reuters after his return from Derna. Chkiouat also said the final dimensions of the natural disaster are expected to be "very, very big". "I am not exaggerating when I say that 25% of the city is gone," he added.
Images posted by residents on social media show a completely devastating scene: damaged roads, destroyed and flooded buildings and citizens trapped in cars. Abdul Hamid Dbeibé, Prime Minister of the Tripoli government, has declared Derna a disaster zone, decreed three days of national mourning and called for "the unity of all Libyans". He also appealed for assistance from local and international organisations.
In this regard, the US special envoy to Libya, Richard Norton, announced via Twitter that Washington would send aid, "coordinating with UN partners and Libyan authorities to assess how best to target official US assistance".
Other countries such as Egypt, Qatar, Iran and Germany have also expressed their willingness to provide assistance to the country. Turkey, an ally of the Dbeibé government, has already sent several planes with humanitarian aid, and 168 search and rescue teams are expected to arrive in the country in the coming hours. The UN has also said it is "closely monitoring" the serious situation in the east of the country.
This isn’t war. This is a consequence of choosing war and corruption over nation building.
— Anas El Gomati (@AGomati) September 11, 2023
A video from Derna, Eastern Libya pic.twitter.com/y1NoQhZY24
The heavy flooding has also impacted Libya's important oil sector. The National Oil Company, whose main oil fields are located in eastern Libya, declared "a state of high alert" and suspended flights between production sites, which significantly reduced activity.
Tragedy has struck Derna again years after the city was under Daesh control and witnessed violent battles between the jihadists and the Libyan National Army, which managed to liberate the city in 2018.
WATCH: Catastrophic flooding hits Derna, Libya after dams collapse during Storm Daniel, more than 2,000 people feared dead pic.twitter.com/WP7LquuOCa
— BNO News (@BNONews) September 12, 2023
The floods have also affected other Libyan coastal cities such as Benghazi, Sousse and Al-Marj. The storm has also reached other nearby countries such as Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, while it is expected to reach Egypt in the coming days.
