In the recent flood in Libya, more than 5,000 people are presumed dead and 10,1000 missing after two dams collapsed in northeastern Libya after Storm Daniel struck the region. Heavy Rainfall also added more water into the already flooded areas, as per media reports.Tamer Ramadan, the leader of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies delegation in Libya expressed her grief over the situation earlier on Tuesday while attending a press conference in in Geneva, Switzerland.During the conference, she also announced the number of people who went missing and said that the death toll is huge.According to media reports, this is the worst flood Libya has seen in ages. The last major flood that Liby saw was in 2019 when four people died and thousands were affected. However, the effect of the recent flood is unprecedented and falls under the deadliest flood in North Africa since 1900.Authorities comment on Libyas condition According to media reports from Libya, the authorities announced on Tuesday that at least 5,300 people were killed. Othman Abduljalil, health minister of Libyas eastern administration said that as many as 6,000 persons remain missing in the eastern city of Derna, which has suffered the worst of the devastation.Othman also took a tour of the affected area on Monday and described the situation as “catastrophic.”Osama Aly, a spokesperson for the Emergency and Ambulance Service has said that hospitals are no longer functional, and mortuaries and dead bodies have been left outside the morgues on the pavements. Authorities suspect that entire neighbourhoods in the city have been wiped away.Effects of Storm DanielVideos on social media show the extent of damage Storm Daniel caused in Libya. Visuals showed drowned cars, collapsed buildings, and torrents of water surging across streets. Storm Daniel swept away entire areas and ruined homes in a number of coastal towns, with the city of Derna “cut off completely” after two old dams burst.The rainfall took place as an after-effect of a very strong low-pressure system, officially called Storm Daniel by southeastern Europes national meteorological organisations.Before ravishing eastern Libya and moving into the Mediterranean with its strong torrents, Storm Daniel caused devastating floods in Greece last week and later developed into a tropical-like cyclone known as a medicane.International Community on LibyaThe three-person Presidential Council, functioning as head of state in divided Libya has asked the international community to help saying “We call on brotherly and friendly countries and international organisations to provide assistance.”The World Health Organisation has also been actively participating in helping the people of Libya in the time of this disaster and has been sharing pictures of the flood in its X handle. A post they shared read “In the wake of the floods, as the death toll rises, health needs have become more urgent @WHOLIBYA is working with local health authorities to survey the damage to health facilities: There are at least 3 large hospitals out of service in #درنة , while other hospitals are only partially functioning.”وفي أعقاب الفيضانات، وبينما يرتفع عدد الضحايا، أصبحت الاحتياجات الصحية أكثر إلحاحاً. وتعمل @WHOLIBYA مع السلطات الصحية المحلية مسح الأضرار التي لحقت بالمرافق الصحية: هناك ما لا يقل عن 3 مستشفيات كبيرة خارج الخدمة في #درنة، بينما تعمل مستشفيات أخرى بشكل جزئي فقط. pic.twitter.com/H4EyY0Oa4l— World Health Organization in Libya (@WHOLIBYA) September 12, 2023Several nations have also offered their condolences and sent aid to Libya as rescue teams are trying to find survivors under the debris and rubble.According to media reports 150 search and rescue personnel, along with tents, rescue vehicles and other supplies such as generators will be mobilised as mentioned by Turkeys disaster agency.
