In what can only be described as a harrowing tragedy, Libya grapples with the aftermath of a catastrophic flooding event, leaving a trail of destruction and despair. The nation faces an unprecedented crisis, with a death toll surpassing 2,000 souls and an additional 10,000 individuals believed to be missing.
Storm Daniel, an unrelenting force of nature, unleashed a relentless downpour over Libya’s northeastern region, culminating in the catastrophic collapse of two dams. The ensuing deluge inundated already vulnerable areas, leading to the loss of thousands of lives and widespread devastation.
Tamer Ramadan, the head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Libya, shared the staggering statistics during a recent press briefing in Geneva, Switzerland. Her words echoed the profound scale of the disaster as she described the death toll as “huge” and dire.
Tragically, at least 145 were Egyptian nationals among the deceased, a somber revelation from officials in the beleaguered northeastern city of Tobruk, Libya.
However, the epicenter of this catastrophe lies in the eastern city of Derna, which has borne the brunt of the devastation. Othman Abduljalil, the health minister of Libya’s eastern administration, described the situation as “catastrophic” during his visit to the city. According to authorities, it is estimated that up to 6,000 people are missing in Derna, where entire neighborhoods are believed to have been washed away.
The healthcare system in Derna has been overwhelmed by the scale of the disaster. Hospitals are no longer operational, and morgues have reached capacity, forcing the grim display of bodies left outside on sidewalks.
Osama Aly, spokesperson for the Emergency and Ambulance service, painted a grim picture of the situation, revealing that there are no functioning emergency services, with volunteers working tirelessly to retrieve the deceased.
The calamitous rain that swept across several Libyan northeast cities resulted from an exceptionally powerful low-pressure system. This system, responsible for catastrophic flooding in Greece the previous week, transformed into a tropical-like cyclone known as a medicine as it moved into the Mediterranean.
This tragedy unfolds in a year marked by unprecedented climate disasters and record-breaking weather extremes, ranging from devastating wildfires to oppressive heatwaves. According to experts, the warming of the Mediterranean Sea, driven by climate change, played a significant role in intensifying the storm and its torrential rains.
Karsten Haustein, a climate scientist and meteorologist at Leipzig University in Germany, highlighted the connection, stating, “The warmer water does not only fuel those storms in terms of rainfall intensity, it also makes them more ferocious.”
The collapse of two dams under the relentless force of flooding exacerbated the catastrophe. The resulting surge of water toward Derna led to catastrophic damage, including the destruction of three bridges and the entire neighborhoods they carried. Homes in valleys were swept away by the powerful muddy currents, carrying vehicles and debris in their wake.
Rescue efforts have been further hampered by the loss of phone lines in the city, making it nearly impossible for workers to access Derna due to the extensive destruction.
Libya faces an arduous path to recovery, with the scars of this ‘catastrophic’ flooding etched deep into the nation’s psyche. The world watches in sorrow as this disaster is a stark reminder of the urgent need for climate action and disaster preparedness in a world increasingly beset by extreme weather events.
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