Aid teams are still battling to help survivors and locate the dead five days after devastating flooding hit eastern Libya. At least 11,000 have been killed in Libyan Floods in Derna.
Thousands of people were killed when two dams burst in the wake of Storm Daniel, washing away whole neighborhoods in the city of Derna. Figures for the number of dead vary from around 6,000 to 11,000 – and with thousands still missing, the city’s mayor says the total could reach up to 20,000 people.
Survivors have described to BBC terrifying escapes and accounts of how people have been swept away in front of their eyes. Most of the deaths could have been avoided if warnings had been issued, the UN’s World Meteorological Organization says.
Currently, about 30,000 people are left homeless, the UN’s International Organization for Migration says, warning of the dangers of disease from contaminated water.
The source of the Libyan flood stems from Storm Daniel which hit Libya on Sunday. The storm brought more than 400mm of rain to parts of the northeast coast within a 24-hour period. Making it devasting as the region usually sees about 1.5mm throughout the whole of September.
It is still unclear whether the storm was brought on by climate change. However, the rising global temperatures are believed to increasing the frequency and intensity of dangerous storms.
Experts say that this event sadly demonstrates how the impact of extreme weather is amplified where populations are vulnerable and adequate preparation is not in place.
