Over 11,000 People Dead As Massive Flood Hit Libya

Over 11,000 People Dead As Massive Flood Hit Libya

According to the Red Crescent, around 11,000 people are believed to have died, though Derna mayor Abdulmenam Al-Ghaithi fears that up to 20,000 people perished in the port city alone.

Thousands more have been displaced after entire neighbourhoods were washed away when two dams burst under pressure from Storm Daniel’s intense rainfall.

Most human casualties could have been avoided if authorities had issued appropriate warnings and undertaken evacuations, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization has said.

The UN has also warned that disease from contaminated water is the next threat for people affected by the disaster.

Meanwhile, Politicians from both sides of the divided country are calling for an investigation – including Guma El-Gamaty who blamed the crisis on “failure of the state, weak mechanisms, weak governments, weak institutions”.

The World Health Organization will release $2m (£1.6m) to help the emergency effort.