Libya floods: death toll set to rise with 10,000 reported missing
More than 6,000 people reported dead, with hundreds of bodies still washing ashore
The death toll from two catastrophic dam collapses in eastern Libya has risen to 6,000, a unity government official has said, as rescue workers continue to recover hundreds of bodies from the coastal city of Derna.
At least 10,000 people are missing, the Red Cross confirmed, following flooding that struck Derna over the weekend after the two dams collapsed. Local officials have said that many of those yet to be found are unlikely to be alive.
The damage was caused by a "raging torrent of mud-brown water", The Guardian reported, which "swept away several major bridges" causing many of the city's multi-storey buildings to collapse.
Subscribe to The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
Entire neighbourhoods have been washed away, with many bodies swept out to sea, Tariq al-Kharraz, a representative of Libya's eastern government, said. Waves at Derna are "constantly dumping dozens of bodies", said Hichem Abu Chkiouat, the minister of civil aviation in the administration that runs eastern Libya.
Chkiouat appealed for international assistance, adding that Libya does not have the facility or experience to deal with a disaster of this scale.
Recovery efforts are "likely to be complicated by the weakness of the state", said the Financial Times. Libya has been "blighted by years of chaos and conflict" since dictator Muammar Gaddafi was toppled in October 2011. "Rival factions have since carved the country into a patchwork of fiefdoms," the paper said, complicating its ability to respond to the catastrophe.
The dams upstream from storm-hit Derna "had not been maintained for more than two decades", said Al Jazeera. And according to the city's deputy mayor, Ahmed Madroud, the infrastructure was not built to withstand such devastating floods.
"The dams have not been maintained since 2002, and they are not big", Ahmed Madroud told the broadcaster. According to Madroud, the first dam that failed was 70 metres (230 feet) tall. But once it burst, water rushed through and began building up behind the second dam which eventually collapsed as well.
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said emergency response teams have now been mobilised to help on the ground as the search and rescue effort continues.
Create an account with the same email registered to your subscription to unlock access.
Sign up for Today's Best Articles in your inbox
A free daily email with the biggest news stories of the day – and the best features from TheWeek.com
Arion McNicoll is a freelance writer at The Week Digital and was previously the UK website’s editor. He has also held senior editorial roles at CNN, The Times and The Sunday Times. Along with his writing work, he co-hosts “Today in History with The Retrospectors”, Rethink Audio’s flagship daily podcast, and is a regular panellist (and occasional stand-in host) on “The Week Unwrapped”. He is also a judge for The Publisher Podcast Awards.
-
Today's political cartoons - October 5, 2024
Cartoons Saturday's cartoons - gathering funds, juggling tariffs, and more
By The Week US Published
-
5 category 5 cartoons about hurricane Helene
Artists take on precarious conditions, planning ahead, and more
By The Week US Published
-
Wolfs: 'comedy thriller' stumbles despite George Clooney and Brad Pitt
While the crime caper might 'pleasingly pass a Saturday night' its star-studded duo cannot ultimately salvage it
By The Week UK Published
-
Putin's fixation with shamans
Under the Radar Secretive Russian leader, said to be fascinated with occult and pagan rituals, allegedly asked for blessing over nuclear weapons
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
A brief history of third parties in the US
In Depth Though none of America's third parties have won a presidential election, they have nonetheless had a large impact on the country's politics
By Joel Mathis, The Week US Published
-
Chimpanzees are dying of human diseases
Under the radar Great apes are vulnerable to human pathogens thanks to genetic similarity, increased contact and no immunity
By Harriet Marsden, The Week UK Published
-
Deaths of Jesse Baird and Luke Davies hang over Sydney's Mardi Gras
The Explainer Police officer, the former partner of TV presenter victim, charged with two counts of murder after turning himself in
By Austin Chen, The Week UK Published
-
Quiz of The Week: 24 February - 1 March
Puzzles and Quizzes Have you been paying attention to The Week's news?
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Will mounting discontent affect Iran election?
Today's Big Question Low turnout is expected in poll seen as crucial test for Tehran's leadership
By Sorcha Bradley, The Week UK Published
-
Sweden clears final NATO hurdle with Hungary vote
Speed Read Hungary's parliament overwhelmingly approved Sweden's accession to NATO
By Peter Weber, The Week US Published
-
Modern royal scandals from around the world
The Explainer From Spain to the UAE, royal families have often been besieged by negative events
By Justin Klawans, The Week US Published