A general view of the city of Derna, Libya, September 12, 2023. /AP
The death toll from the devastating floods in eastern Libya has surpassed 6,000, said Saad El-Din Abdel-Wakil, the undersecretary of the Ministry of Health in the Government of National Unity, on Wednesday.
"The situation is very large and surprising for the city of Derna. We were not able to confront it with our capabilities that preceded the storm and the torrent," said Mayor Abdel Moneim Al-Ghaithi on Wednesday.
"Even if the capabilities were great and advanced, the scene we saw could not be confronted by us," he told Sky News Arabia on Wednesday night. The death toll in the city could ultimately exceed 20,000, he said, based on estimates of those living in areas that were swept away.
A deluge of rainfall from Mediterranean storm Daniel caused two dams to collapse, sending waves more than 20 feet high and sweeping through the port city in the country's east.
About 10,000 people have been reported missing, Osama Ali, the spokesman for the Tripoli-based emergency services, said on Wednesday, adding that the flood-hit regions face a severe shortage of basic supplies.
A member from Libyan Red Crescent standing in an inundated area near a submerged vehicle in the wake of floods after the Mediterranean storm "Daniel" hit Libya's eastern city of Derna, September 14, 2023. /CFP
Survivors in struggle
A humanitarian disaster is also unfolding for survivors.
Fears of waterborne diseases affecting the area are rising, especially with rotting bodies still washing ashore. "Access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities will be required to prevent a further crisis within a crisis," Elie Abouaoun, country director for Libya at the International Rescue Committee, said in a statement Wednesday.
Usama Al Husadi, a 52-year-old driver, had been searching for his wife and five children since the disaster.
"I went by foot searching for them ... I went to all hospitals and schools but no luck," he said during an interview with Reuters, weeping with his head in his hands.
Husadi, who had been working the night of the storm, dialed his wife's phone number once again. It was switched off.
"We lost at least 50 members from my father’s family, between missing and dead," he said.
The International Organization for Migration (IOM) in Libya said on Wednesday that at least 30,000 individuals have been displaced in Derna.
Rescuers from Turkey's IHH humanitarian aid group retrieve the body of a flooding victim in Derna, Libya, September 13, 2023. /CFP
International aid
Rescue teams arrived from Egypt, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar.
Among countries sending aid, Türkiye is sending a ship carrying equipment to set up two field hospitals. Algeria has allocated eight planes to transport humanitarian aid to Libya after heavy floods swept the eastern part of the country.
Palestine on Wednesday also sent a rescue team to eastern Libya where was struck by devastating floods.
A 12-person UN Disaster Assessment and Coordination team has been deployed in Libya to support the world body's response to the massive flooding that has killed thousands of people, with thousands more missing, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said, noting that the United Nations is responding to calls for assistance and providing aid in the affected areas.
(With input from agencies)