CNN –
Libya is scrambling to bury its dead as bodies pile up in the streets of Derna, the northern coastal city devastated by floods after a heavy downpour breached two dams and washed houses into the sea.
Morgues are full in hospitals that are out of service despite the urgent need to treat survivors of a disaster that has killed at least 5,000 people so far, according to hospital workers and officials from Libya’s parliamentary eastern government.
About 10,000 more are missing and may have either been swept out to sea or buried under debris scattered across the city, authorities say.
Emergency teams are searching through piles of rubble for survivors and bodies as officials try to respect the Islamic belief that the dead should be buried within three days.
“The Martyrs Committee was established to identify the missing persons and implement identification and burial procedures in accordance with Sharia and legal laws and standards,” said Libyan State Minister for Cabinet Affairs Adel Juma.
Planet Labs PBC/AP
A satellite photo shows flooding in Derna, Libya, on Tuesday, September 12, 2023 via Planet Labs PBC.
Planet Labs PBC/AP
A satellite photo shows Derna before flooding on September 2, 2023, via Planet Labs PBC.
The destruction caused by Storm Daniel has made a mammoth mission even more difficult for rescuers who must clear roads and debris to find survivors.
The storm destroyed communications, hampered rescue efforts and caused concern among family members outside Libya awaiting word of missing loved ones.
Ayah, a Palestinian with cousins in Derna, said she was unable to do so Contact them since the floods.
“I am very worried about her. I have two cousins who live in Derna. It seems that all communication is down and I don’t know if it is active at this point. It is very frightening to watch the videos from Derna. We’re all scared,” she told CNN.
AFP/Getty Images
A boy pulls a suitcase past debris in an area damaged by a flash flood in Derna, eastern Libya, on September 11, 2023.
Libya was rocked by the 2011 uprising against Muammar Gaddafi’s rule and torn apart by civil war. The extent of the destruction underscores the vulnerability of a country that has struggled with warring factions and chaos for years.
The UN-backed Government of National Accord (GNU) led by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh is based in Tripoli in northwestern Libya, while its eastern rival is controlled by commander Khalifa Haftar and his Libyan National Army (LNA), which controls the east-based parliament support led by Osama Hamad.
Derna, about 300 kilometers east of Benghazi, falls under the control of Haftar and his eastern administration.
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Storm Daniel appears to have caused one of the deadliest floods ever in North Africa.
The very strong low pressure area moved into the Mediterranean, where it developed into a tropical cyclone and crossed the Libyan coast. Daniel also caused unprecedented flooding in Greece last week, where the death toll was much lower.
The deadly storm comes in an unprecedented year of climate disasters and record-breaking weather extremes, from devastating wildfires to oppressive heat.
While several towns in the region were affected by the floods, Derna suffered the most damage after two dams collapsed, submerging entire neighborhoods in floodwaters Sea.
“Libya was not prepared for such a disaster,” said Osama Aly, a spokesman for the rescue and rescue service.
Abdullah Mohammed Bonja/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images
A damaged vehicle is stuck in rubble after flooding caused by Storm Daniel in Derna, Libya, September 12, 2023.
Countries and organizations are sending help
The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the country was facing “an unprecedented humanitarian crisis.”
Ciaran Donelly, IRC vice-president for crisis response, said the committee was conducting a joint needs assessment to support those affected by the floods, while appealing to the international community for help.
“We must remember that Libya is not just a country in crisis; It is also a gateway for people moving to Europe,” he said. “The IRC has been working tirelessly since 2016 to provide essential health care and protection to vulnerable Libyans, refugees and migrants affected by this protracted crisis.”
Turkish aircraft delivering humanitarian aid arrived in Libya on Tuesday, according to the Turkish Civil Protection Authority (AFAD). President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country would send 168 search and rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Benghazi, according to state news agency Anadoulu Agency.
Italy is sending a civil defense team to help with rescue operations, the country’s civil protection agency said on Tuesday.
Meanwhile, the US Embassy in Tripoli announced that its special envoy, Ambassador Richard Norland, had made an official declaration of humanitarian need.
AFP/Getty Images
Toys are seen in a store damaged by a flash flood in Derna, eastern Libya, on September 11, 2023.
This “authorizes initial funding that the United States will provide to support relief efforts in Libya.” “We are coordinating with UN partners and Libyan authorities to consider how best to target official U.S. assistance can,” it said on X (formerly Twitter).
UAE President Zayed Al Nahyan has also ordered relief and search and rescue teams to be sent and expressed condolences to those affected by the disaster, the state news agency reported.