In a devastating aftermath of torrential rainfall and the breach of two dams, Derna, Libya, is grappling with catastrophic floods that have resulted in a dire humanitarian crisis. CNN reports that bodies are accumulating in the streets, and despite the urgent need to care for survivors, morgues in hospitals remain full.
Hospital staff and officials from Libya’s eastern parliament-backed government have reported that the disaster has claimed the lives of at least 5,000 people. Authorities also estimate that approximately 10,000 individuals are missing, with some potentially swept out to sea or buried under the rubble that now covers the city, which was once home to over 100,000 people.
The United Nations’ International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya has indicated that more than 30,000 people have been displaced by the flooding in Derna. The extensive damage to infrastructure in the region has made some areas inaccessible to humanitarian groups, leaving only two of the seven entry points to Derna available.
Emergency teams are tirelessly sifting through heaps of debris in search of survivors and the deceased, all while adhering to Islamic customs that dictate burial rites must be performed within three days.
Libya’s Minister of State for Cabinet Affairs, Adel Juma, stated, “The Martyrs’ committee (has been set up to) identify the missing people and to implement procedures for identifying and burial of (them) in accordance with Sharia and legal laws and standards.”
The destruction wrought by Storm Daniel has compounded the challenges for rescuers trying to clear roads and debris to locate survivors. The storm disrupted communications, hindering rescue efforts and causing anguish among family members outside Libya who anxiously await news of their missing loved ones.
Ayah, a Palestinian woman with cousins in Derna, expressed her deep concern about their well-being, saying, “I’m really worried about them. I have two cousins who live in Derna. It seems all communications are down, and I don’t know if they are alive at this point. It is very terrifying watching the videos coming out of Derna. We are all terrified.”
