Authorities in eastern Libya said at least 2,000 people were killed and thousands more were missing after a massive flood ripped through the city of Derna following a heavy storm and rain. Ahmed Mismari, the Libyan National Army (LNA) spokesperson that controls eastern Libya told a televised news conference on Monday that the disaster came after dams above Derna collapsed, “sweeping whole neighborhoods with their residents into the sea.” Video posted online showed significant devastation in the city. Entire residential areas were erased along a river that runs down from the mountains through the city center, and multistory apartment buildings partially collapsed into the mud.
The LNA said water levels were still rising and was trying to send troops into the area to help residents evacuate. However, he added that access to the city was difficult due to roadblocks and destroyed bridges. He also said that several mobile networks were down, making it hard to communicate with the public.
Local media reported that the floods swept away several people, while others died trying to flee their homes as they were swept toward the Mediterranean coast. The head of the country’s parallel east-based government, Ossama Hamad, told the Libyan network Almasar that as many as 2,000 people were believed to have died in Derna alone, and thousands more were missing.
He heads a government that is not internationally recognized and operates in the eastern parts of the country controlled by the military strongman Khalifa Haftar’s forces. The internationally recognized government in Tripoli, which does not control the eastern areas, called on the international community to help. “We call on brotherly and friendly countries and international organizations to assist,” it said in a statement issued on Twitter (X, formerly Twitter).
The United Nations mission in Libya, which does not have a permanent resident, also called for help on Monday. The UNHCR, the UN’s refugee agency, said it was ready to send assistance. The president of France, Emmanuel Macron, expressed “deep solidarity” with the Libyan people and said that his country was mobilizing resources to provide emergency aid. The leader of the UAE, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, also offered support, saying his country would send humanitarian assistance and search-and-rescue teams. The leaders of Morocco and Egypt also sent messages of condolences. The remnants of Storm Daniel, which has already caused deadly flooding in Greece, are expected to move slowly across northern Libya and into northern Egypt.
