A catastrophic storm, triggered by heavy rainfall from Sunday through Monday, has reportedly claimed the lives of no fewer than 150 individuals in Libya. This Mediterranean storm swept through eastern Libya over the weekend, resulting in the destruction of buildings and the tragic loss of lives.
Online images shared by residents of the country depict massive mudslides, collapsed structures, and entire neighborhoods submerged in water. Regrettably, the Benghazi-based administration’s spokesman in Libya, Mohamed Massoud, disclosed during an interview that substantial damage occurred to both public and private properties due to the catastrophic event.
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Massoud stated, “At least 150 people were killed due to flooding and heavy rains caused by storm Daniel in Derna, the Jabal al-Akhdar region, and the outskirts of Al-Marj. This is in addition to the extensive material damage inflicted on public and private assets.”
He further mentioned that the Prime Minister of the east-based government, Oussama Hamad, along with the head of a rescue committee and other ministers, traveled to Derna to assess the extent of the devastation. In response to the disaster, Hamad’s government, which opposes the UN-brokered, internationally recognized transitional administration in Tripoli, declared Derna a “disaster area.”
The storm struck eastern Libya on Sunday afternoon, affecting coastal towns such as Jabal al-Akhdar and Benghazi, where a curfew was imposed and schools remained closed for several days. Rescue teams were dispatched to Derna, located 900 kilometers (560 miles) east of the capital, Tripoli. The city, with a population of 100,000, is situated in the wadi of a river bearing the same name.
According to Massoud, the East Libyan authorities lost contact with nine soldiers during the rescue operations in the city. In a statement on social media, the United Nations mission in Libya expressed condolences to the flood victims and stated that it was closely monitoring the emergency caused by severe weather conditions in the eastern region of the country. The UN also pledged readiness to support local authorities and municipalities in responding to the crisis and providing urgent humanitarian assistance.
Reports indicate that hundreds of residents may still be stranded in hard-to-reach areas as rescue operations, aided by the military, continue their efforts.
