1 of 4 A man cries in Egypt after burying the repatriated body of his son, who fell victim to flooding caused by the storms in Libya Photo: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/ Portal A man cries in Egypt after burying the repatriated body buried his son, a victim of the floods caused by the storms in Libya Photo: Mohamed Abd El Ghany/ Portal
People whose homes were swept away by the floods of a tropical storm in eastern Libya are facing a dilemma this Sunday (17). They either stay and struggle with a lack of drinking water, or they flee through areas with landmines.
More than 11,300 people died as a result of the rain. Another 10,000 or so people remain missing, mostly in the city of Derna, which was worst hit after heavy rains destroyed two dams and flooded the central area of the municipality. Rescue teams search for bodies in the rubble and also on the beach (see photos below).
2 of 4 rescue teams search for bodies of victims on a beach after the floods Photo: Ayman AlSahili/ Portal Rescue teams search for bodies of victims on a beach after the floods Photo: Ayman AlSahili/ Portal 3 of 4 damage caused Floods in the city of Derna, Libya — Photo: Esam Omran AlFetori/ Reuter Damage caused by floods in the city of Derna, Libya — Photo: Esam Omran AlFetori/ Reuter
State media reported that at least 891 buildings were destroyed in the city and the mayor said 20,000 people may have died.
“I am in our area trying to clean up and find out who is missing,” Hamad Awad said.
“We still don’t know anything, we hear rumors, some are trying to reassure us, others are saying that we have to leave the city or stay here. We have neither water nor resources,” said the resident, who only gave one name, Wasfi.
4 of 4 Trail of destruction after the floods in Derna, Libya, on September 17 — Photo: Esam Omran AlFetori/ Portal Trail of destruction after the floods in Derna, Libya, on September 17 — Photo: Esam Omran Al Fetori/Portal
A report by the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) shows that the Libyan authorities have at least checked this 55 children in Derna had problems with contamination from drinking contaminated waterwhere homeless people survived in makeshift shelters, schools or huddled together in the homes of relatives or friends.
Floods have displaced landmines and other artifacts from years of conflict, posing additional risk to the thousands of displaced people, it said.
Libya launches investigation into dam burst that caused flooding
Aid agencies have sent emergency aid and some countries have sent supplies, although international aid groups say much more help is needed.
“People came from everywhere with help and that made it easier for us and we feel that we are not alone,” said Hassan Awad from Derna as Algerian civil protection workers searched for survivors in the rubble of buildings on several floors City.
Pointing to a rusty pole stretched between two buildings, Awad said his family survived the flood that destroyed their home and covered everything in mud by clinging to it.
“We found bodies of neighbors, friends and relatives, I can’t explain it,” he said.
In al Badya, a coastal settlement west of Derna, the hospital treated victims from Derna in addition to its own victims.
During the flood, doctors built makeshift dams in the street to contain the water, but it rose inside the building.
“This affected the machines and infrastructure of the lower level of the hospital,” said hospital director Abdel Rahim Mazek.
Elsewhere in the city, volunteers distributed clothing and food.
“People left their homes with nothing, they didn’t even have underwear,” said Mohammad Shaheen, one of the leaders of the initiative.
Volunteer Abdulnabi said the team came from Ajaylat, about 800 miles (1,200 km) away in western Libya, which is separated from the east by more than a decade of intermittent conflict.
“People are coming together to help those affected,” he said.
Drone video shows devastation caused by floods in Libya
The country of 7 million has not had a strong central government since the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO)backed uprising that toppled Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, and its oil wealth is scattered among competing groups.
Analysts said the disaster had brought some level of coordination between the internationally backed government in Tripoli in the west and the rival government in the east, but that reconstruction efforts were likely to reopen fault lines.
The OCHA report said at least 11,300 people died and more than 10,000 people were missing in Derna after Storm Daniel swept across the Mediterranean and hit the city and other coastal settlements, but authorities disputed the figures.
A spokesman for the Red Crescent as the NGO Red Cross is known in Muslimmajority countries which OCHA cited for the data, said it had not released a death toll and referred Portal to government spokespeople saying that “the numbers are increasing change.” and the Red Crescent is not responsible for that.”
An official from the eastern Libyan government, Dr. Osama AlFakhry, said: “The death toll so far is 3,252, and they are those who have been buried.”
He said 86 people had been rescued from the rubble and operations were continuing.
“There is no concrete number of missing people as entire families have died and no one has come to report, plus there are duplicate registrations in several hospitals,” said AlFakhry, the health minister’s eastern office manager.
OCHA said more than 40,000 people had been displaced and warned that the number was likely much higher as access was limited to the worsthit areas such as Derna.