Eastern Libyan City Sealed Off as Authorities Search for 10,100 Unaccounted Individuals Following Surge in Flood Fatalities to 11,300

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Civilian access to the eastern Libyan city of Derna was restricted by authorities this Friday to facilitate search operations for the 10,100 individuals who remain unaccounted for, after the officially confirmed death toll escalated to 11,300.

The catastrophe was precipitated by the failure of two dams during torrential rains, unleashing a devastating flood into the Mediterranean coastal city early on Monday. The event not only highlighted the severity of the storm but also exposed the fragility of Libya, a nation rich in oil resources but politically fragmented since 2014 with rival administrations in the east and the west, supported by varying militias and international benefactors.

Late on Thursday, Salam al-Fergany, the Director-General of the Ambulance and Emergency Service in eastern Libya, announced that Derna was in the process of being evacuated. Only authorized search and rescue teams would be permitted entry into the city.

The calamity has elicited an unusual show of solidarity among Libya’s bifurcated government agencies, as aid from both sides of the political divide began arriving in Derna by Tuesday evening. However, relief operations have been hampered due to infrastructural damage, including the destruction of several key bridges connecting the city.

The Libyan Red Crescent reported on Thursday that the flood had resulted in 11,300 fatalities in Derna, with an additional 10,100 individuals missing. The Mediterranean tempest, known as Storm Daniel, has also claimed approximately 170 lives elsewhere in the nation.

Othman Abduljaleel, Eastern Libya’s Health Minister, stated that the deceased have so far been interred in communal burial sites outside of Derna and in adjacent municipalities. He also reported that search and rescue operations were ongoing, with efforts concentrated on ruined structures within the city and divers searching the adjacent maritime areas.

Residents of Derna recounted hearing thunderous explosions soon after the storm assaulted the city on Sunday night, when the dams situated beyond the city’s periphery failed. The deluge that ensued swept through Wadi Derna, a valley intersecting the city, leveling buildings and sweeping inhabitants out to sea.

Lori Hieber Girardet, Chief of the Risk Knowledge Branch at the U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, communicated to The Big Big News on Thursday that years of turmoil and conflict have rendered Libyan governmental institutions ineffective. As such, she emphasized that there has been insufficient focus on disaster management and risk mitigation.

The administration of Derna falls under the jurisdiction of Eastern Libya, which is backed by the influential military leader Khalifa Hiftar.

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Contributions to this report were made by Big Big News correspondents Jack Jeffery in London and Jamey Keaten in Geneva.

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More about Derna flood disaster

• Derna Flood Disaster: In-depth Analysis
• Libyan Red Crescent Official Report on Derna
• Political Climate in Libya: Recent Developments
• Emergency Services in Eastern Libya
• U.N. Office for Disaster Risk Reduction on Libyan Preparedness
• Infrastructure Damage in Libyan Cities
• Khalifa Hiftar: Military Influence in Eastern Libya
• Storm Daniel: Wider Impact Across Libya