Recovery Efforts Continue After Catastrophic Flooding Hits Eastern Libya

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Rescue teams have been tirelessly working to retrieve more than 2,000 bodies discovered amidst the ruins of a Libyan city ravaged by devastating floods. The catastrophe unfolded as floodwaters breached dams and engulfed entire neighborhoods, leaving officials deeply concerned that the final death toll may surpass 5,000 in a nation already grappling with years of turmoil and neglect.

The coastal region of eastern Libya, particularly the city of Derna, bore the brunt of the Mediterranean storm Daniel, which unleashed lethal flooding across several towns. As the storm lashed the coastline on a fateful Sunday night, residents of Derna reported hearing thunderous explosions when the city’s dams succumbed to the force of the deluge. Floodwaters surged down Wadi Derna, a river coursing from the mountains through the city and into the sea.

According to Othman Abduljaleel, the Health Minister of eastern Libya, more than 2,000 bodies had been recovered by Wednesday morning, with over half of them interred in mass graves within Derna. Rescue teams have been toiling around the clock to locate numerous other bodies scattered across the city’s streets and buried beneath debris. Some unfortunate victims were even retrieved from the sea.

This staggering devastation underscores both the ferocity of the storm and Libya’s vulnerability. The country remains divided between rival governments—one in the east and the other in the west—which has led to widespread neglect of crucial infrastructure in many areas.

The flooding inflicted substantial damage to or obliteration of access roads to Derna, hindering the arrival of international rescue teams and humanitarian aid to assist tens of thousands of people left homeless or with damaged homes.

Yann Fridez, head of the delegation of the International Committee for The Red Cross in Libya, painted a grim picture: “The city of Derna was submerged by waves 7 meters (23 feet) high that destroyed everything in their path. The human toll is enormous.”

Local emergency responders, including troops, government personnel, volunteers, and residents, have been tirelessly sifting through the rubble in search of the deceased. They have also employed inflatable boats and helicopters to recover bodies from waterlogged and inaccessible areas.

The situation is nothing short of catastrophic, as one grief-stricken survivor, who lost 11 family members, emotionally conveyed during an interview with a local television station. The scale of the tragedy is beyond words.

Bulldozers have been laboring relentlessly in recent days to repair and clear roads, facilitating the delivery of urgently needed humanitarian aid and heavy equipment for search and rescue operations. Derna, situated 250 kilometers (150 miles) east of Benghazi, has started receiving international assistance as of Tuesday.

Libya’s neighboring countries, including Egypt, Algeria, Tunisia, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates, have dispatched rescue teams and humanitarian aid. President Joe Biden announced that the United States is providing emergency funds to relief organizations and collaborating with Libyan authorities and the United Nations to offer additional support.

According to Mohammed Abu-Lamousha, a spokesperson for the eastern Libya interior ministry, the death toll in Derna has exceeded 5,300, with dozens more reported dead in other eastern Libyan towns. Authorities have transported hundreds of bodies to morgues in nearby communities.

In the city of Tobruk, located 169 kilometers (105 miles) east of Derna, the Medical Center of Tobruk’s morgue received over 300 bodies of individuals who perished in the Derna flooding, including 84 Egyptians.

As the search continues, the plight of at least 10,000 missing individuals in the city remains uncertain, with 40,000 people displaced in Derna and other flood-affected towns in eastern Libya, according to Tamer Ramadan, Libya envoy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.

Derna, renowned for its whitewashed houses and palm gardens, lies approximately 900 kilometers (560 miles) east of the capital, Tripoli. It is under the control of powerful military commander Khalifa Hifter, who is aligned with the eastern Libya government. Meanwhile, the western Libya government, headquartered in Tripoli, is associated with different armed groups.

Derna’s history is marked by Italian influence, as much of the city was built during Italy’s occupation of Libya in the first half of the 20th century. In the turbulent years following the NATO-backed uprising that led to the downfall and death of longtime dictator Moammar Gadhafi in 2011, the city became a focal point for extremist groups.

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