Fatal Flooding in Benghazi: At Least 150 Killed in Eastern Libya?
September 11, 2023 North America, Questions Libya Yasmin Farouk
At least 150 people have died in eastern Libya due to freak floods caused by storm “Daniel.” The storm first lashed Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece with torrential rains before hitting Libya. The affected areas were hit by massive mudslides, collapsed buildings, and submerged neighborhoods. Apart from the loss of life, there has also been significant damage to public and private properties. Rescue operations are underway to reach trapped residents, although contact has been lost with nine soldiers involved in the efforts. The eastern-based government has declared Derna a disaster area, and the western government has announced three days of national mourning.
The National Petroleum Company in Libya has declared a state of maximum alert and suspended flights between production sites due to the reduced activity caused by the storm. Experts have described storm Daniel as extreme in terms of the amount of water falling within 24 hours. In Derna, a city of 100,000 people, four main bridges and two buildings have collapsed. The United Nations mission in Libya has expressed its condolences and offered support to local authorities and municipalities for providing urgent humanitarian assistance. The situation in Libya is particularly vulnerable to extreme weather events due to factors such as urbanization and land-use planning.
Libya has suffered from ongoing conflict and political instability since the NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that led to the overthrow of former dictator Moamer Kadhafi. The country is divided between two rival governments based in the west and east, leading to occasional deadly conflicts. The French ambassador to Libya and neighboring Egypt have also expressed their condolences and solidarity with the Libyan people. Authorities in Egypt have called for caution on the northern coast bordering eastern Libya and have started preparations to minimize the impact of the storm.