The city of Derna, Libya, is grappling with the aftermath of a devastating natural disaster, prompting local authorities to initiate an inquiry into the extensive loss of life. Survivors are engaged in a desperate quest to locate their missing family members, who were swept away by surging floodwaters.
The catastrophe unfolded when a powerful storm unleashed a torrent of water, breaching dams on Sunday night. This deluge surged through a seasonal riverbed coursing through the heart of Derna, resulting in the collapse of multi-story buildings into the sea, entailing the tragic entrapment of sleeping families.
Official reports on the death toll have exhibited variations, but all estimates point to a staggering number in the thousands, accompanied by thousands more individuals listed as missing. Expressing deep concern, Derna’s Mayor, Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi, has raised the alarming prospect that the city’s death toll might escalate to a chilling 18,000 to 20,000 people, given the widespread devastation. He also expressed apprehensions regarding a potential epidemic, arising from the considerable number of bodies buried beneath the debris and submerged in water.
Highlighting the gravity of the situation, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) has underscored that much of this catastrophic loss of life could potentially have been averted if Libya had a functional meteorological agency in place. WMO Secretary-General Petteri Taalashe stressed that a well-operating meteorological service could have issued timely warnings, empowering authorities to carry out evacuations and thus mitigating the majority of casualties.
Furthermore, experts and commentators have drawn attention to prior warnings, including an academic paper authored by a hydrologist last year, which underscored Derna’s susceptibility to floods and the imperative need to maintain the dams safeguarding the city.
In response to this overwhelming disaster, Mohamed al-Menfi, the head of Libya’s internationally recognized government’s three-member council acting as the presidency, has disclosed that the council has formally requested the attorney general to launch an investigation. Al-Menfi emphasized the necessity of holding accountable those responsible for the dam’s failure and any hindrance in the distribution of aid.
Survivors, such as 52-year-old driver Usama Al Husadi, persist in their search for missing family members. Husadi shared the heart-wrenching account of his relentless efforts to locate his wife and five children, conveying the profound sorrow and uncertainty experienced by many affected families.
Similarly, Wali Eddin Mohamed Adam, a 24-year-old Sudanese brick factory worker residing on Derna’s outskirts, recounted his traumatic experience of awakening to the sound of rushing water on the night of the storm. He rushed to the city center, only to encounter its obliteration. Tragically, he and his fellow workers have endured the loss of friends and family members amidst this catastrophic event.