Libya was mired in chaos and corruption. For years, warnings the Derna dams may burst went unheeded
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya was mired in chaos and corruption. For years, warnings the Derna dams may burst went unheeded

Associated Press  

CAIRO — The warnings were clear but went unheeded. After earlier reporting that same death toll, U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs is now citing far lower numbers, with about 4,000 people killed and 9,000 missing, East Libya’s Health Minister Othman Abduljaleel said at least 3,283 bodies were buried as of Sunday night. “Both dams had not been maintained for many years, despite repeated floods that struck the city in the past,” said Saleh Emhanna, a geological researcher with the University of Ajdabia in Libya. “They were dilapidated.” The dams suffered major damage in a strong storm that hit the region in 1986, and more than a decade later a study commissioned by the Libyan government revealed cracks and fissures in their structures, Libya’s general prosecutor, al-Sediq al-Sour, said late Friday. At a news conference in the stricken city, al-Sour said prosecutors would investigate the collapse of the two dams, as well as the allocation of maintenance funds.

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History of this topic

A Libyan city scarred by flooding that killed thousands tries to rebuild a year later
3 months, 2 weeks ago

A Libyan city scarred by flooding that killed thousands tries to rebuild a year later

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — A year since two dams burst upstream from the eastern Libyan city of Derna, unleashing a wall of water that swept away thousands of people, its residents no longer hold out hope of finding many of their loved ones. Now, one of Libya’s rival authorities is putting serious resources into rebuilding Derna — the east-based government and …

Libya’s eastern government holds conference on reconstruction of coastal city destroyed by floods
1 year, 1 month ago

Libya’s eastern government holds conference on reconstruction of coastal city destroyed by floods

Associated Press  

CAIRO — An international conference on reconstruction of one of Libya’s coastal cities, decimated in a fatal flood in September, began Wednesday, one of Libya’s rival governments announced. The two-day conference marks a tentative step toward the rebuilding of the city, with a total of 400 participants convening in Derna on Wednesday and in Benghazi on Thursday, Libya’s eastern government …

Libya’s flood survivors demand accountability, hold protest against authorities
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya’s flood survivors demand accountability, hold protest against authorities

The Hindu  

Abdel-Hamid al-Hassadi survived the devastating flooding in eastern Libya, but he lost some 90 people from his extended family. “We witnessed the magnitude of the catastrophe,” Mr. al-Hassadi said in a phone interview, referring to the massive flooding that engulfed his city. The World Health Organization says a total of 3,958 deaths have been registered in hospitals, but a previous …

Mapping Libya’s flood damage | Infographics
1 year, 3 months ago

Mapping Libya’s flood damage | Infographics

The Hindu  

Storm Daniel makes landfall On September 10, a Mediterranean storm made landfall near the Benghazi city in northeast Libya. Dams near Derna collapse As the storm brought record-breaking rainfall, Al-Wadia dam to the south of the city collapsed. Following this, water rushed down the Wadia valley for around 12 kilometres before reaching the second dam closer to Derna city. At …

In corrupt Libya, longtime warnings of the collapse of the Derna dams went unheeded
1 year, 3 months ago

In corrupt Libya, longtime warnings of the collapse of the Derna dams went unheeded

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Experts had long said that …

Libya floods: Conflicting death tolls, Greek aid workers die in crash
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya floods: Conflicting death tolls, Greek aid workers die in crash

Al Jazeera  

The city of Derna in eastern Libya is still digging out and counting the dead after devastating floods struck more than a week ago. OCHA attributed the death toll to the Libyan Red Crescent, but its spokesman Tawfiq al-Shukri rejected the figures, telling dpa: “The official numbers are issued by the agency authorised by the Libyan authorities.” In a later …

For a divided Libya, disastrous floods have become a rallying cry for unity
1 year, 3 months ago

For a divided Libya, disastrous floods have become a rallying cry for unity

Associated Press  

TRIPOLI, Libya — Zahra el-Gerbi wasn’t expecting much of a response to her online fundraiser, but she felt she had to do something after four of her relatives died in the flooding that decimated the eastern Libyan city of Derna. “The wound or pain of what happened in Derna hurt all the people from western Libya to southern Libya to …

Libya investigates dams’ collapse after flood killed over 11,000
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya investigates dams’ collapse after flood killed over 11,000

The Hindu  

Libyan authorities have opened an investigation into the collapse of two dams that caused a devastating flood in a coastal city as rescue teams searched for bodies on September 16, nearly a week after the deluge killed more than 11,000 people. Haider al-Saeih, head of Libya’s center for combating diseases, said in televised comments Saturday that at least 150 people …

Libya investigates dams’ collapse after a devastating flood last weekend killed more than 11,000
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya investigates dams’ collapse after a devastating flood last weekend killed more than 11,000

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — Libyan authorities have opened an investigation into the collapse of two dams that caused a devastating flood in a coastal city as rescue teams searched for bodies on Saturday, nearly a week after the deluge killed more than 11,000 people. Haider al-Saeih, head of Libya’s center for combating diseases, said in televised comments Saturday that at least …

Libya Floods: What We Know About the Disaster That Killed Over 11,000 People
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya Floods: What We Know About the Disaster That Killed Over 11,000 People

News 18  

At least 11,300 people lost their lives in Libya when two dams above the eastern city of Derna burst early Monday, overwhelmed by the torrential rain brought by a storm. Islamic Relief warned of a “second humanitarian crisis” after the flood, pointing to the “growing risk of water-borne diseases and shortages of food, shelter and medicine”. Warning Signs When hydrologist …

Flood-ravaged Libya city of Derna faces health crisis from thousands of corpses
1 year, 3 months ago

Flood-ravaged Libya city of Derna faces health crisis from thousands of corpses

The Independent  

For free real time breaking news alerts sent straight to your inbox sign up to our breaking news emails Sign up to our free breaking news emails Please enter a valid email address Please enter a valid email address SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. The World Health Organisation and …

Old footage from Saudi Arabia misrepresented as scenes of devastating flooding from Libya
54 years, 11 months ago

Old footage from Saudi Arabia misrepresented as scenes of devastating flooding from Libya

Associated Press  

CLAIM: A video shows flooding that devastated Derna, Libya after the city’s dams collapsed during a powerful storm this month. The video has been online since April 2016 and shows flood waters pouring through a dry river valley in a mountainous region of Saudi Arabia at the time. One widely shared clip shows a dry, sandy riverbed on the edge …

Libya seals off flooded city so searchers can look for 10,000 missing after death toll passes 11,000
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya seals off flooded city so searchers can look for 10,000 missing after death toll passes 11,000

The Hindu  

Libyan authorities sealed off an inundated city on Friday to allow search teams to dig through the mud and hollowed-out buildings for 10,000 people missing and feared dead after the official toll from flooding soared past 11,000. Teams have buried bodies in mass graves outside the city and in nearby towns, Eastern Libya’s health minister, Othman Abduljaleel, said. “So you …

Libya’s deadly floods: what we know
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya’s deadly floods: what we know

The Hindu  

Flash flooding in east Libya caused by Storm Daniel tore through the coastal city of Derna, leaving nearly 4,000 people dead, 10,000 missing and entire neighbourhoods in ruins. Egypt’s armed forces chief of staff, an ally of east Libya military strongman Khalifa Haftar, flew to Benghazi on Tuesday aboard a plane loaded with relief supplies and personnel, reports said. ‘Medicane’ …

Searchers look for more than 10,000 missing in flooded Libyan city where death toll eclipsed 11,000
1 year, 3 months ago

Searchers look for more than 10,000 missing in flooded Libyan city where death toll eclipsed 11,000

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — Libyan authorities limited access to the flooded city of Derna on Friday to make it easier for searchers to dig through the mud and hollowed-out buildings for the more than 10,000 people still missing and presumed dead following a disaster that has already claimed more than 11,000 lives. “There is an enormous need for coordination.” Teams have …

Libya's flood-ravaged Derna in grisly hunt for thousands still missing
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya's flood-ravaged Derna in grisly hunt for thousands still missing

The Hindu  

Emergency teams on Friday kept up their search for the thousands still posted as missing from the tsunami-sized flash flood that swept the Libyan port city of Derna, killing at least 4,000 people. "Within seconds the water level suddenly rose," recounted one injured survivor who said he was swept away with his mother in the late-night ordeal before they both …

Flooding death toll soars to 11,300 in Libya’s coastal city of Derna
1 year, 3 months ago

Flooding death toll soars to 11,300 in Libya’s coastal city of Derna

Al Jazeera  

A further 10,100 people are reported missing in Libya’s Mediterranean city after a storm caused devastating flooding. The death toll in Libya’s coastal city of Derna has soared to 11,300 as search efforts continue following a massive flood fed by the breaching of two dams in heavy rains, the Libyan Red Crescent said. Marie el-Drese, the International Federation of Red …

Searchers look for more than 10,000 missing in flooded Libyan city where death toll has eclipsed 11,000
1 year, 3 months ago

Searchers look for more than 10,000 missing in flooded Libyan city where death toll has eclipsed 11,000

LA Times  

People look for survivors of the flood that devastated Derna, Libya, this week. “There is an enormous need for coordination.” Teams have buried bodies in mass graves outside the city and in nearby towns, Eastern Libya’s health minister, Othman Abduljaleel, said. Bodies “are littering the streets, washing back up on shore and buried under collapsed buildings and debris,” said Bilal …

AP PHOTOS: Satellite images show flood devastation that killed more than 11,000 in Libya
1 year, 3 months ago

AP PHOTOS: Satellite images show flood devastation that killed more than 11,000 in Libya

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — Images taken by satellite show the physical devastation from a flood that killed at least 11,300 people in the eastern Libyan city of Derna. This combination of satellite images from Maxar Technologies shows a coastal roadway in Derna, Libya, on July 1, 2023, top, and the same flood damaged area on Wednesday, Sept. 13, 2023. This combination …

How Libya is in dire need of body bags after floods kill more than 5,000
1 year, 3 months ago

How Libya is in dire need of body bags after floods kill more than 5,000

Firstpost  

Devastating floods in northeastern Libya have killed thousands and displaced several others. “I fear that the city will be infected with an epidemic due to the large number of bodies under the rubble and in the water.” Speaking to Al Jazeera, Lutfi al-Misrati, a search team director, said they “need bags for the bodies.” Previously, Hichem Abu Chkiouat, the minister …

Flooding death toll soars to 11,300 in Libya’s coastal city of Derna, aid group says
1 year, 3 months ago

Flooding death toll soars to 11,300 in Libya’s coastal city of Derna, aid group says

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — The death toll in Libya’s coastal city of Derna has soared to 11,300 as search efforts continue following a massive flood fed by the breaching of two dams in heavy rains, the Libyan Red Crescent said Thursday. Derna has begun burying its dead, mostly in mass graves, said eastern Libya’s health minister, Othman Abduljaleel on Thursday. The …

Whole families drowned in Libya’s flood. Many didn’t realize the danger until they heard dams burst
1 year, 3 months ago

Whole families drowned in Libya’s flood. Many didn’t realize the danger until they heard dams burst

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — The wall of water several stories high smashed into apartment buildings, drowning entire families in minutes. “No one expected this,” said Fadelallah, who asked that his surname not be used because he fears reprisal from government officials and armed groups who could view his story as criticism of their efforts. Footage captured by The Associated Press showed …

After Libya flooding, retrieving the dead becomes as big a challenge as finding the living
1 year, 3 months ago

After Libya flooding, retrieving the dead becomes as big a challenge as finding the living

LA Times  

The corpses are everywhere. “This will be an environmental catastrophe.” Two burst dams sent a wall of water crashing through the city of Derna, in eastern Libya, killing thousands of people. Even masks and gloves, we don’t have enough,” Abdul Qader Saleh, a member of Derna’s commission for boy and girl scouts, said in a phone interview Thursday from the …

Libya: Derna Mayor estimates 18,000 to 20,000 people died in Tsunami-like flood I Horrific VIDEO
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya: Derna Mayor estimates 18,000 to 20,000 people died in Tsunami-like flood I Horrific VIDEO

India TV News  

The city of Derna has buried thousands of people in mass graves as officials claimed more than 5,100 people were killed after Tsunami-like water entered the coastal town on Sunday. Derna has begun burying its dead, mostly in mass graves, said eastern Libya’s health minister, Othman Abduljaleel. The number of deaths was likely to climb as searches continued, and at …

Death toll soars to 11,300 from flooding in Libyan coastal city of Derna
1 year, 3 months ago

Death toll soars to 11,300 from flooding in Libyan coastal city of Derna

NPR  

Death toll soars to 11,300 from flooding in Libyan coastal city of Derna Enlarge this image toggle caption Abdullah Doma/AFP via Getty Images Abdullah Doma/AFP via Getty Images DERNA, Libya — The death toll in Libya's coastal city of Derna has soared to 11,300 as search efforts continue following a massive flood fed by the breaching of two dams in …

Natural disaster or man-made, why was Libya so vulnerable to floods?
1 year, 3 months ago

Natural disaster or man-made, why was Libya so vulnerable to floods?

Al Jazeera  

While the floods were unprecedented, experts argue that years of neglect and corruption worsened the tragedy. But while many, particularly some of Libya’s politicians, are painting what happened as purely the result of a natural disaster, experts say that corruption, poor maintenance of public infrastructure – and years of political infighting, with Libya divided between two rival administrations – have …

Libya's Deadly Floods: Vulnerable Cities, International Response & Reactions
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya's Deadly Floods: Vulnerable Cities, International Response & Reactions

News 18  

Flash flooding in east Libya caused by Storm Daniel tore through the coastal city of Derna, leaving upwards of 2,300 dead, 10,000 missing and entire neighbourhoods in ruins. – Dams burst – On Sunday afternoon, Storm Daniel made landfall on Libya’s east coast after earlier lashing Greece, Bulgaria and Turkey. – Vulnerable city – Figures provided by the emergency services …

Flood death toll in Libya’s city of Derna crosses 5,100
1 year, 3 months ago

Flood death toll in Libya’s city of Derna crosses 5,100

The Hindu  

The death toll from flooding that hit the eastern Libyan city of Derna reached more than 5,000 and was expected to rise further, a local health official said on Wednesday, as authorities struggled to get aid to the coastal city where thousands remained missing and tens of thousands were homeless. Aid workers who managed to reach the city, which was …

Searchers race to recover bodies in Libyan city where 5,100 died in flooding after 2 dams collapsed
1 year, 3 months ago

Searchers race to recover bodies in Libyan city where 5,100 died in flooding after 2 dams collapsed

Associated Press  

DERNA, Libya — Search teams combed streets, wrecked buildings and even the sea Wednesday to look for bodies in a coastal Libyan city where the collapse of two dams unleashed a massive flash flood that killed at least 5,100 people. This satellite photo from Planet Labs PBC shows a dam collapse in Derna, Libya, on Tuesday, Sept. 12, 2023. This …

Not Climate Crisis Alone: Why the Libya floods have caused so much death and destruction – Firstpost
1 year, 3 months ago

Not Climate Crisis Alone: Why the Libya floods have caused so much death and destruction – Firstpost

Firstpost  

Over 2,300 people have died and over 10,000 are still missing as a result of the devastation caused by the Mediterranean storm Daniel in Libya. Over 2,300 people have died and over 10,000 are still missing as a result of the devastation caused by the Mediterranean storm Daniel in Libya, according to The Associated Press. Lack of single government Analysts …

More than 1,500 bodies are uncovered in Libyan city devastated by Storm Daniel with fears the toll could pass 5,000 after flood smashes through dams and washes away whole neighbourhoods
1 year, 3 months ago

More than 1,500 bodies are uncovered in Libyan city devastated by Storm Daniel with fears the toll could pass 5,000 after flood smashes through dams and washes away whole neighbourhoods

Daily Mail  

Emergency workers uncovered more than 1,500 bodies in the wreckage of Libya's eastern city of Derna on Tuesday, and it was feared the toll could surpass 5,000 after floodwaters smashed through dams and washed away entire neighborhoods of the city. A view of devastation in disaster zones after the floods caused by Storm Daniel in Derna, Libya A damaged vehicle …

Death toll in Libya’s Derna flooding could reach 20,000: Mayor
1 year, 3 months ago

Death toll in Libya’s Derna flooding could reach 20,000: Mayor

Al Jazeera  

Thousands remain missing as rescuers struggle to get to Derna, the city hardest hit by floods unleashed on Sunday by Storm Daniel. Derna Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi told Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television the estimated number of deaths in the city could reach between 18,000 to 20,000 based on the number of districts destroyed by the flood. “I fear that the city …

Why did Derna’s dams break when Storm Daniel hit Libya?
1 year, 3 months ago

Why did Derna’s dams break when Storm Daniel hit Libya?

Al Jazeera  

Experts estimate that 30 million cubic metres of water were released into Derna after the dams broke. There were two major dams upstream from Derna that, for one, had not been maintained since 2002, according to Ahmed Madroud, the beleaguered city’s deputy mayor. Experts estimate that 30 million cubic metres of water were released when the dams broke, equivalent to …

Mapping Libya’s catastrophic flood damage in Derna after Storm Daniel
1 year, 3 months ago

Mapping Libya’s catastrophic flood damage in Derna after Storm Daniel

Al Jazeera  

Two dams burst upstream from the coastal city, releasing a wall of water that swept away buildings and the people inside them. Nearly 10,000 people are missing in Libya after a severe storm slammed into its eastern coast this week, according to the Red Cross. The storm made landfall in Libya a few days later, causing flooding on Sunday in …

An inside account of devastation and survival in the Libya floods
1 year, 3 months ago

An inside account of devastation and survival in the Libya floods

NPR  

An inside account of devastation and survival in the Libya floods toggle caption Abdullah Mohammed Bonja/Anadolu Agency via Getty Images Two dams collapsed and whole neighborhoods were washed away after a storm slammed the city of Derna, Libya and others along the Mediterranean coast this week. Huda Akram: Oh, well, my uncles and my aunts, they're fine, both from my …

How Libya’s chaos left its people vulnerable to deadly flooding
1 year, 3 months ago

How Libya’s chaos left its people vulnerable to deadly flooding

Associated Press  

LONDON — A storm that has killed thousands of people and left thousands more missing in Libya is the latest blow to a country that has been gutted by years of chaos and division. The north African country has been divided between rival administrations and beset by militia conflict since NATO-backed Arab Spring uprising toppled autocratic ruler Moammar Gadhafi in …

Libya flooding: Over 10,000 missing and 2,000 feared dead in Libya after Storm Daniel
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya flooding: Over 10,000 missing and 2,000 feared dead in Libya after Storm Daniel

The Independent  

Sign up to the Independent Climate email for the latest advice on saving the planet Get our free Climate email Get our free Climate email SIGN UP I would like to be emailed about offers, events and updates from The Independent. Read our privacy policy At least 10,000 people are missing and around 3,000 feared dead in Libya after a …

2,000 feared dead in Eastern Libya after Storm Daniel floods region
1 year, 3 months ago

2,000 feared dead in Eastern Libya after Storm Daniel floods region

Hindustan Times  

2,000 feared dead in Eastern Libya after Storm Daniel floods region Mediterranean storm Daniel caused devastating floods in Eastern Libya that broke dams and swept away entire neighborhoods in multiple coastal towns.. 1 / 9 View Photos in a new improved layout People stand on a damaged road as a powerful storm and heavy rainfall hit Shahhat City, Libya, on …

Death toll in Libya floods nearly 3,000 after Storm Daniel
1 year, 3 months ago

Death toll in Libya floods nearly 3,000 after Storm Daniel

Al Jazeera  

Up to 10,000 people are missing and about twice as many have been displaced. Libya’s Red Crescent spokesman Taqfiq Shukri said on Tuesday that there are 2,084 people confirmed dead, while IFRC head Tamer Ramadan said: “The number of missing people is hitting 10,000 so far”. Reporting from Tripoli on Tuesday, Al Jazeera’s Malik Traina said it is not yet …

Deputy mayor of Derna, Libya’s flooded city, describes situation
1 year, 3 months ago

Deputy mayor of Derna, Libya’s flooded city, describes situation

Al Jazeera  

Ahmed Madroud says dams have not been maintained since 2002, and damage from floods will be difficult to repair. Dams in storm-hit Derna in eastern Libya have not been maintained for more than two decades and the infrastructure was not built to withstand the effects of this week’s devastating floods, the city’s deputy mayor has said. Though communication has been …

Libya: Authorities recover hundreds of bodies amid unprecedented flooding, 700 people buried in Derna
1 year, 3 months ago

Libya: Authorities recover hundreds of bodies amid unprecedented flooding, 700 people buried in Derna

India TV News  

Libya floods : As devastating floods caused by Mediterranean storm Daniel wreak havoc in eastern Libya, rescue teams have recovered hundreds of bodies from the rubble of the coastal city of Derna as 10,000 more remained missing, according to a humanitarian agency. Horrifying situation in eastern Libya Citizens of Derna shared videos on social media depicting residential blocks being wiped …

More than 5,300 feared dead and 10,000 missing as Libya is devastated by floods
1 year, 3 months ago

More than 5,300 feared dead and 10,000 missing as Libya is devastated by floods

LA Times  

The city of Derna, in eastern Libya, has buried 700 victims of catastrophic flooding, with 10,000 people reported missing. Emergency workers uncovered more than 1,500 bodies in the wreckage of Libya’s eastern city of Derna on Tuesday, and it was feared the toll could spiral with 10,000 people reported still missing after floodwaters smashed through dams and washed away entire …

Libyan city of Derna declared a disaster zone after devastating flooding, dozens feared dead
1 year, 3 months ago

Libyan city of Derna declared a disaster zone after devastating flooding, dozens feared dead

Hindustan Times  

Authorities in eastern Libya declared the city of Derna a disaster zone Monday after the Mediterranean storm Daniel caused devastating floods over the weekend in different parts of the North African nation. The man was stuck in his car and surrounded by floods in the eastern town of Marj, according to Walid al-Arfi, spokesperson for the government-run emergency response agency …

Flooding in Libya leaves 2,000 people feared dead and more missing after storm collapsed dams
1 year, 3 months ago

Flooding in Libya leaves 2,000 people feared dead and more missing after storm collapsed dams

Associated Press  

CAIRO — Mediterranean storm Daniel caused devastating floods in Libya that broke dams and swept away entire neighborhoods in multiple coastal towns in the east of the North African nation. In a phone interview with station Monday, Prime Minister Ossama Hamad of the east Libyan government said 2,000 were feared dead in Derna and thousands were believed missing. Essam Abu …

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