As many as 10,000 people are feared dead after a storm slammed into Libya, unleashing a devastating surge of floodwater across the country’s east.
A disaster wrought by intense rainfall from Mediterranean storm Daniel intensified when two dams burst — with more than 2,000 people killed in one coastal city and thousands more missing, aid agencies and officials said Tuesday.
Entire neighborhoods were swept away in the North African country, which was already reeling from years of conflict. Images showed the region obliterated by raging floodwaters, with cars, masonry and debris strewn across streets and entire buildings swept away.
The deluge appeared to have done its worst damage to Derna, a city where 2,300 people were confirmed dead and another 5,000 were missing, according to the Ambulance and Emergency Service.
Othman Abduljaleel, the health minister in Libya’s eastern government, described the situation as “catastrophic.”
“The bodies are still lying on the ground in many parts (of the city). Hospitals are filled with bodies. And there are areas we have yet to reach,” he said, according to the Associated Press.
That means the toll is likely to rise significantly in the coming days, aid groups warned.
Tamer Ramadan, Libya envoy for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told a video news conference Tuesday that the final death toll could be much higher.
“We confirmed from our independent sources of information the number of missing people is hitting 10,000 persons, so far,” he said, adding that this is not a finalized figure.
The disaster in Libya was “as devastating as the situation in Morocco,” Ramadan said, referring to the earthquake that hit on Friday and killed more than 2,800 people.
“The humanitarian needs are huge,” Ramadan added.
Dax Bennet Roque, Libya director for the Norwegian Refugee Council’s said his team was reporting a “disastrous situation” in the affected areas, which has hit some of the poorest communities along the coast.
“Many families have lost all their belongings and search and rescue workers are looking for people missing. Tens of thousands of people are displaced with no prospect of going back home,” he said.
“Communities across Libya have endured years of conflict, poverty and displacement. The latest disaster will exacerbate the situation for these people,” he added.
The International Rescue Committee said it was ready to provide assistance.
Libya is divided between two rival administrations, each controlling the east and west of the country.
Both sides have had the backing of different militias and foreign governments that have vied for power in the oil-rich nation, following the death of Moammar Gadhafi in 2011 after four decades of his rule.
Years of subsequent conflict have left public services and infrastructure crumbling across the country.
On Monday, the Libyan Presidential Council declared the worst-affected areas, around the cities of Derna, Shahat and Dar Al Bayda, a disaster zone.
The council asked “brotherly and friendly countries and international organizations to provide assistance and support for the stricken areas and maritime rescue efforts to recover the victims.”
The U.S. ambassador to Libya, Richard B. Norland, said in a statement that Washington had “issued an official declaration of humanitarian” in response to the floods.
“We are coordinating with UN partners and Libyan authorities to assess how best to target official U.S. assistance,” he said. Libyan-Americans had been in contact with the embassy with offers of financial help, he said.
The Libyan Health Ministry said Monday that it had chartered an African Airline plane and filled it with equipment and medicines to be sent to affected communities in the east of the country.
