Calay News
One week after the devastating floods that swept through Libya’s city of Derna, local and international rescue teams are persisting in their efforts to locate the bodies of the many people still missing. The death toll is estimated to possibly exceed 11,000.
Rescue personnel have been tirelessly working in a country grappling with the aftermath of the unprecedented flooding. This catastrophe has led to nearly 11,300 reported deaths and 10,100 individuals missing, primarily within the city of Derna, as per the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). Simultaneously, the complex political landscape, marked by the presence of two competing governments, has complicated decision-making processes.
The conflicting reports on the number of victims reflect the deep divisions and the absence of a centralized authority in Libya, a nation plagued by turmoil since the 2011 uprising that removed dictator Muammar Gaddafi from power.
Emergency response teams are confronted with obstacles stemming from this division of power, as Libya currently hosts two rival governments: one in the capital, Tripoli, recognized by the UN, and another in the eastern region severely affected by the flooding.
The city of Derna, which has a population of approximately 100,000, was struck by Storm Daniel on September 10. The storm resulted in the collapse of two dams along the Wadi Derna River, causing massive destruction of buildings and sweeping individuals into the sea.
OCHA has reported, “The humanitarian situation in Derna remains very bleak,” underscoring the city’s lack of access to clean drinking water and revealing that at least 55 children fell ill from consuming contaminated water.
Since the tragic events, numerous bodies have been discovered daily amidst the rubble or in the sea, within a landscape reminiscent of post-apocalyptic scenes. According to city residents, a significant portion of the victims lost their lives either buried under mud or carried away into the Mediterranean Sea.
A rescue team from Malta’s Civil Protection Department discovered hundreds of bodies in a bay and succeeded in recovering several dozen. Natalino Bezzina, who leads the Maltese rescue team, noted that there were likely around 400 bodies, although it remains challenging to provide an exact count due to difficult access to the bay, which was complicated by strong winds.
In a video posted on social media, a Libyan rescue team reported witnessing “approximately 600 bodies” in the sea off Om al Briket, located about twenty kilometers east of Derna. However, it remains uncertain whether these are the same bodies located by the Maltese team.
Various Libyan and international rescue teams continue to report daily discoveries of bodies, yet the search efforts are hampered by the significant amounts of mud still covering parts of the city.
