The Libyan Emergency Service confirmed on Tuesday that at least 2,300 people had died in the floods that swept through the city of Derna, with a population of 100,000, as a result of Storm Daniel, while the Red Cross spoke of a huge death toll.
According to officials in eastern Libya, where two governments are competing for power, the two main dams on the small Wadi Derna River collapsed on Sunday night, causing huge mudslides that destroyed bridges and swept away many buildings along with their residents.
Osama Ali, spokesman for the Ambulance and Emergency Service of the Ministry of Health in the National Unity Government, told Agence France-Presse on Tuesday that the floods that swept through the city of Derna in eastern Libya killed more than 2,300 people.
The spokesman for the agency, whose team has been deployed in Derna since Monday, explained that the floods resulting from Storm Daniel also left about 7,000 injured, while more than 5,000 others are still missing.
The total number of victims of this disaster has not yet been confirmed, but the authorities in eastern Libya have been talking since Monday about thousands of dead and missing people.
The Minister of Health in the Libyan government-designate, Othman Abdel Jalil, said on Monday evening, “The conditions in Derna are becoming more tragic, and there are no final statistics on the number of victims… There are many neighborhoods that we haven’t been able to reach, and I expect the number of deaths to rise to 10,000”.
He added, “We call on friendly countries to help save what remains in the city of Derna and the mountainous areas”.
The storm also struck Benghazi and the Green Mountain region.
Floods, mudslides and other severe damage were reported in the wider area and images showed overturned cars and trucks.
The National Oil Corporation, whose main fields and stations are located in eastern Libya, declared a state of maximum alert and suspended flights between production sites whose activity has decreased significantly.
Photos posted by residents on social networks were circulated in which rescue personnel appeared astonished by the scale of the disaster amid a horrific scene.
Blocked roads, landslides and floods prevented help from reaching residents, who were forced to use primitive means to retrieve bodies and survivors who were about to drown.
Derna and other cities are still cut off from the rest of the world, despite the efforts made by the authorities to restore communications networks and the Internet.
Aid convoys were sent from Tripoli in the west to Derna.
The Tripoli government, led by Abdul Hamid al Dabaiba, announced the dispatch of two ambulances, a helicopter, 87 doctors and a rescue team, in addition to technicians from the National Electricity Company, to try to restore electricity.
Rescue teams sent by Türkiye also arrived in eastern Libya, according to the authorities.
On Tuesday, Egyptian President Abdel Fattah al Sisi declared a state of mourning for three days in solidarity with the victims of Libya and Morocco.
Algeria said it would send aid in eight military aircraft.
The US Ambassador to Libya, Richard Norland, announced via X platform that the US embassy issued a declaration of humanitarian need that would authorize the initial funding that the United States will provide to support relief efforts in Libya.
In turn, European Union Foreign Affairs Coordinator Josep Borrell said, “The European Union is saddened by the images of devastation in Libya, which was devastated by extreme weather conditions that caused tragic human losses, and is closely monitoring the situation and is ready to provide its support”.
Also, French Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Anne-Claire Lugendre announced on Tuesday that France is ready to send emergency aid to the affected population in Libya.
Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Taiani announced on Tuesday via X platform that Italy will provide aid to Libya, explaining that an assessment team coordinated by Italian Civil Protection has headed to the country.
World Health Organization spokeswoman Margaret Harris described the situation in Libya as a tragic disaster.
At the same time, the United Nations World Meteorological Organization noted the disappearance of entire neighborhoods in Derna, where their residents were swept away by water after the collapse of two ancient dams, making the situation catastrophic and out of control.
