5,300 dead, 7,000 injured and some 10,000 missing: such is the terrible toll, still provisional, of the terrible floods which hit Cyrenaica, a province located in the east of Libya. And particularly the town of Derna, around 125,000 inhabitants before the disaster. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), “at least already 30,000 people” have been displaced in this area after the passage of storm Daniel during the night from Sunday to Monday. This caused torrential rains, causing the rupture of two dams on the Wadi Derna, the river which crosses the city, and the dramatic floods which followed. Images broadcast on social networks by the Al-Wataniya al-Libiya television channel show an apocalyptic landscape.
Seen from the sky, the natural disaster is impressive. A very large part of Derna is under water. The Wadi Derna, a simple small stream, transformed into a wave similar to a “tsunami”, according to several witnesses. The city was submerged by “waves 7 meters high which destroyed everything in their path, carrying away cars and houses,” said Yann Fridez, head of the ICRC (International Committee of the Red Cross) delegation. ) in the country. Derna is now only accessible via two entrances, compared to seven normally. Widespread power outages and network disruptions further limit communications and prevent the proper organization of relief efforts.
Other satellite photos attest to the failure of the dike on the outskirts of the city. This would have given way after a first dam broke, 12 kilometers upstream. According to experts interviewed by Agence France-Presse (AFP), dilapidated infrastructure, construction in violation of urban planning rules over the last decade and lack of preparation have transformed Derna into an open-air cemetery. “The sea is constantly dumping dozens of bodies,” said Hichem Abu Chkiouat, a minister in the administration that rules eastern Libya.
These torrential rains are the consequence of the passage of depression Daniel, which had already caused massive flooding in Greece. On average, between 150 and 240 mm of precipitation fell in Libya.
In Al-Bayda, one hundred kilometers west of Derna, 414.1 mm even drowned the city, a new record according to the National Meteorological Center. Far from the single millimeter usually recorded during this period.
