Libyan Interim Prime Minister and leader of the Government of National Unity Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh said in a statement that Storm Daniel killed at least 3,000 Libyans and left thousands missing as rescue teams fight their way through time to save as many people as they possibly can. Spokesperson for the Libyan National Army (LNA) Ahmed Mismari said in a televised press conference that “the disaster came after dams above Derna had collapsed, sweeping whole neighborhoods with their residents into the sea”. Mismari also added that the number of missing people is estimated to be at around 5,000-6,000 and is expected to rise in the upcoming hours.
The cities of Benghazi, Sousse, Derna, and Al-Marj were all affected tremendously, as the Libyan Red Cross said that hundreds of homes had been destroyed. According to Reuters, The head of the Red Crescent humanitarian network said that Storm Daniel killed at least 150 people in Derna alone.
Two dams in Derna, which has a population of about 100,000 people, are said to have collapsed flooding a significant portion of the area and drowning some of the area’s residents. As a result, the port was designated a “disaster city” by authorities.
The head of the parliament-appointed government Osama Hamad told a Libyan television channel: “The missing are in the thousands, and the dead exceed 2,000. Entire neighborhoods in Derna have disappeared, along with their residents”.
Libyan authorities urged neighboring countries and international aid groups to provide aid to the flood-stricken areas in the eastern region. In a statement by the Libyan Presidential Council, they said: “We are certain that international solidarity will have a positive effect in rebuilding the area and its recovery from such a natural disaster,”.
Officials in the east have announced a curfew while all businesses, schools, and shops were ordered to close. Dbeibeh has declared three days of national mourning for the victims of the North African country’s catastrophic floods.
Storm Daniel stormed across many eastern Libyan cities on Sunday, including Benghazi, Bayda, and Al Marj, as well as Soussa and Derna.
Be First to Comment