Search and rescue efforts for possible survivors continued on Wednesday in Derna and other cities in eastern Libya that were devastated by Storm Daniel and severe flooding over the weekend. According to local authorities, more than 5,000 people have already died, a number that is expected to continue to rise. In addition, there are thousands of missing people, tens of thousands of displaced people and material losses that have yet to be quantified.
The death toll is complicated by difficulties in gathering information given the enormous devastation and limited access to some of the areas hardest hit by the disaster. Nevertheless, Mohamed Abu Mosha, spokesman for the interior ministry of the government of eastern Libya, told the Libyan state news agency on Wednesday that the death toll now exceeds 5,300, a similar figure to that given by Osama Ali, spokesman for the Ambulance and Emergencies Center in Eastern Libya local television station Alahrar.
On Tuesday, the head of the Libyan Red Crescent delegation, Tamer Ramadan, said that around 10,000 people were still missing, many of them lying under rubble or being swallowed by the sea. However, due to the difficulties in identifying the bodies, it is still not clear how many of them correspond to the new confirmed deaths. The number of missing people could also vary or even decrease as communications are restored.
Most emergency services efforts are focused on the coastal town of Derna (population approximately 120,000), which was hit hardest by the cyclone as heavy rains and bad weather broke two dams near the town, causing enormous amounts of water to overflow the town. So far, the United Nations-affiliated International Organization for Migration (IOM) has counted more than 30,000 displaced people in this city alone, where five of the seven access roads remained blocked on Wednesday morning. The IOM also reported that the area of the city most affected by the floods had a large immigrant population and that 250 Egyptians had died so far.
Satellite image of the impact of the flood in Derna.PLANET LABS PBC (via Portal)
New satellite images of Derna released on Tuesday show how the river that flows through the city center, whose flow was regulated by the two dams giving way, was completely inundated by the storm and water from the reservoirs, causing flooding destroyed much of the city and collapsed the bridges connecting its two halves. Although the extent of the material losses has not yet been determined, local authorities estimate that between 20 and 25% of the city was completely destroyed.
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In addition to Derna, the smaller town of Susa, which is also on the coast, was also badly affected by the cyclone. According to the IOM, it remains completely isolated and has been unable to receive any outside support. “Most of the aid goes to Derna, while in Sousse there is not even a field hospital. Food aid is also not arriving in sufficient quantities and the needs are still enormous,” Mohamed Tantoush, a volunteer working with the Libyan Red Crescent, told EL PAÍS.
The UN migration agency also counted 3,000 displaced people in Al Baida, the second largest city in eastern Libya. In Benghazi, the region’s urban center, damage caused by the storm was minor. However, in recent hours there have been some concerns about the condition of two other nearby dams after the spokesman for the self-proclaimed Libyan National Army, Ahmed al Mismari, under the command of Marshal Halifa Hafter, called for a preventive evacuation. However, the local government has assured that both structures are functioning properly.
Emergency measures
The emergency response to the disaster continues to be slowed and in some cases hampered by the limited capacity of local authorities and NGOs. the destruction of roads making access to some of the most affected areas difficult; and the disruption of the telecommunications network in many parts of the region. In the case of Derna, which is flanked to the south by a mountain range parallel to the coast, it is currently only accessible via two slow roads that cross the mountains. “The main problem is assessing the situation on the ground,” says volunteer Tantoush. “In Derna the situation is confusing because the eastern government lacks the prerequisites for organization and it is not clear that there is an entity that centralizes the effort,” he adds.
“The main priority, alongside rescue efforts, is protective equipment such as tents, blankets and basic household items.” [claves] to meet the shelter needs of the displaced,” Krystell Santamaría, Disaster Risk Management Coordinator at the Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent, tells EL PAÍS.
“Also [está] psychosocial support for survivors,” adds Santamaría. Since it is an unprecedented flood, it is necessary to deal not only with the impact of the disappearance of entire cities, but also “the emotional trauma, the pain, the shock and the fear of what will happen later,” continues the expert continued. , which shows his concern about the lack of supplies, medical personnel, food, body bags, as well as the prevention of other diseases. The Red Cross also warned on Wednesday that it fears the spread of water-borne diseases as a result of damage to sanitation and hygiene infrastructure.
In this context, the President of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al Menfi of the Western Government, acknowledged on Wednesday that the tragedy was beyond the country’s capabilities, which is why he asked all countries and international organizations for the help they can offer. For now, neighboring countries such as Egypt and Algeria, as well as others in the region including Turkey, Italy and Kuwait, have sent relief and rescue teams. UN Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths said on Wednesday that he would provide an extraordinary amount of 9.3 million euros for Libya.
Rescue efforts and aid distribution are also hampered by the political situation in the country. In this sense, Libya has been in a state of severe instability for more than a decade. The country is politically and administratively divided into two rival governments, one based in the east and the other in the capital Tripoli in the west. Despite being an oil-rich country, this rift has fostered years of paralysis and poor management, accompanied by cyclical armed conflict and corruption. All of this has resulted in Libya’s public services and infrastructure becoming dilapidated and no longer sufficient to cope with extreme weather events such as the advance of Cyclone Daniel.
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