“In a devastating flood labeled ‘catastrophic,’ more than 2,000 lives have been lost, and 10,000 individuals are reported missing in Libya. This calamity resulted from heavy rainfall in northern-eastern Libya due to the effects of Storm Daniel, causing the breach of two dams and flooding already vulnerable areas. International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies’ representative, Tamer Ramadan, revealed these distressing numbers during a briefing in Geneva, Switzerland, stating, ‘The death toll is substantial.’
More about Libya’s Catastrophic Flooding:
Libya’s former Health Minister in the eastern administration, Othman Abduljalil, informed Libya’s Almasar TV that in the eastern city of Derna, which has witnessed the most devastation, nearly 6,000 individuals are missing. When he toured the city on Monday, he described the situation as ‘catastrophic.’
Officials suggest that the entire city has been submerged. Osama Ali, a spokesperson for emergency and ambulance services, stated that hospitals in Derna are no longer operational and mortuaries are overwhelmed. ‘There are no immediate emergency services. People are currently working to collect bodies,’ said Anas Barghathi, a doctor currently volunteering in Derna.
The rainfall, which occurred in several cities in northeastern Libya, is a consequence of a very strong low-pressure system that brought destructive flooding to Greece last week and developed into a tropical cyclone in the Mediterranean before heading toward Libya. It’s been an unprecedented year of climate disasters, ranging from catastrophic wildfires to scorching heat, climate emergencies, and record-breaking weather events.
Just as global warming-induced pollution has raised sea temperatures worldwide, the sea temperature in the Mediterranean is significantly above average, leading scientists to assert that the heavy rainfall from the storm is related.”
“In Germany, Dr. Carsten Hösten, a renowned climate scientist and meteorologist at Leipzig University, conveyed to the Science Media Center, ‘Elevated sea temperatures not only amplify the destructive rainfall associated with hurricanes but also heighten their overall ferocity.'”
Libya’s sensitivity to extreme weather has been exacerbated by long-standing political turmoil in the country, where a decade-long power struggle between two rival administrations has been witnessed. The United Nations-backed Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, is based in Tripoli in northwestern Libya, while the eastern administration under the command of Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA), supported by the eastern-based parliament, contends. Under the leadership of Osama Hamad.
Derna, located about 190 miles (300 kilometers) east of Benghazi, falls under the control of Haftar and his eastern administration.
Professor Leslie Mabon of The Open University told the Science Media Center, ‘The country’s complex politics present challenges for risk communication and disaster preparedness coordination, and for maintaining critical infrastructure such as dams.’
Dams Breached Officials reported on Tuesday that the pressure from the flooding caused two dams to breach, diverting water towards Derna, resulting in catastrophic damage.
‘Three bridges have collapsed,’ said Ahmed Mismary, a spokesperson for the LNA, ‘and the rushing water carried away entire neighborhoods, eventually depositing them in the sea.’
Emergency and ambulance services spokesperson Ali said that neighborhoods were inundated with fast-flowing mud, carrying cars and debris.
Phone lines in the city are down, making rescue efforts complicated, and workers are struggling to gain access to Derna due to the extensive destruction.
He stated, ‘The weather situation wasn’t studied thoroughly, there was no study of sea levels and rainfall, wind speed, the path of the storm, and there was no way to evacuate families living in valleys.’
‘Libya wasn’t prepared for this kind of disaster. It has never seen this level of devastation before. We acknowledge there were shortcomings, even though this is the first time we are facing this level of disaster.'”
“Unprecedented Flooding
It seems that this storm will be one of the deadliest ever recorded in North Africa.
According to a report from Libya News Agency (LANA), the head of the eastern administration, Hamad, stated that Libya is facing an ‘unprecedented’ situation.
LNA spokesperson Mismary mentioned that the flooding has affected several cities, including Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, Tobruk, Taknis, Al-Baida, and has extended from the eastern coast to Benghazi.
The flooding in Libya in September is the second most destructive flood in over a century in North Africa.
The last significant flood in Libya occurred in 2019, claiming four lives and affecting thousands of people. However, the scale of this disaster is unparalleled for the country.
Several countries have offered assistance as rescue teams struggle to find survivors trapped under debris and mudslides.
On Tuesday, according to Turkey’s Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD), Turkish planes carrying humanitarian aid reached Libya.
According to the state-run news agency Anadolu Agency on Tuesday, Turkey’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan announced that the country would send search and rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Benghazi.
Italy is also sending a civil protection team for assistance in rescue efforts, as announced by the country’s Civil Protection Department on Tuesday.
In Tripoli, the U.S. Embassy announced that its Special Envoy, Ambassador Richard Norland, has made an official declaration of humanitarian necessity.
This ‘initiates initial funding which will enable the United States to provide support for relief efforts in Libya. We are coordinating with our United Nations partners and Libyan authorities to determine how U.S. assistance can be best targeted,’ it was posted on Twitter.
According to a report by the state news agency, the President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Khalifa bin Zayed Al Nahyan, has ordered assistance and search and rescue teams to be sent to help the affected people, expressing his sympathy for them.”
“Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah al-Sisi has also expressed his sympathy for Libya. In a statement on social media, al-Sisi said, ‘I wish a speedy recovery for the injured, and I hope that the people of Libya coming together will soon bring an end to the crisis.’