In northeastern Libya, the search is on for survivors of the floods caused by Storm Daniel. The devastation is especially enormous in the port city of Derna, which has about 125,000 inhabitants. Hundreds of bodies have already been recovered from the rubble there.
The death toll from the floods now stands at 5,200, local authorities report, but many more people are believed to have died. Dozens of covered bodies lie in the garden of a hospital in Derna, images from the area show. Concerned people look under the burial cloths to see if family members are underneath. Elsewhere in Derna, a mass grave has been dug for hundreds of victims.
The damage in the area is enormous:
The city’s deputy mayor tells news channel Al Jazeera that at least 20 percent of the city has been destroyed. After two dams broke, water could reach anywhere in the city. Some neighborhoods have been completely destroyed. Tens of thousands of people have lost everything.
Bodies washed away
The rescue work is difficult. The road leading to Derna is difficult and dangerous due to the floods. Due to the large amount of water in the city, rescuers expect that more buildings will collapse.
The International Red Cross believes the death toll will rise much further. At least 10,000 people are still missing, the Libya envoy for the Red Cross said. According to him, the situation in Libya is “as devastating as in Morocco”, referring to the major earthquake in that country.
Libya’s eastern health minister says many bodies are likely still under rubble or washed into the Mediterranean Sea. Another government official in the area says bodies are everywhere. “In the sea, in the valleys, under the buildings.”
Disease outbreaks
The Red Cross in the Netherlands has opened giro number 7447 for the victims of the floods. The organization says that urgent medical help is needed. Hygiene products are also important, because contaminated water can lead to disease outbreaks, the organization writes.
Several countries and organizations have also announced support for the affected area. These include the European Union, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, the United Nations and the United States.
Prime Minister Dbeibah, of the internationally recognized government, says Libya is looking at what help is needed. “We will only accept the help that is necessary,” he said.
