Flooding in Libya – thousands killed by Hurricane Daniel

Hurricane Daniel, which hit the northeastern coast of Africa on Sunday, September 10, caused dramatic flooding in Libya. The country has not experienced such a massive natural disaster before. A flood literally washed away a sizable port city on the Mediterranean coast. To date, it has been confirmed that more than 11,000 people died in the disaster. individuals. A search is underway for others believed to be missing. What else is known about the causes and effects of the Libyan floods?

Hurricane Daniel in the Mediterranean Sea

Destruction of dams on the Derna River

Hurricane Daniel, which gained destructive power as it traveled across the high seas, attacked, among others. The upper reaches of Libya’s Derna River. There were two dams on the previously dry delta to protect the local port town from possible floods. As a result of heavy rain caused by the hurricane, the dams were damaged. The water, rushing in at tremendous speed and destroying everything in its path, also tore down several bridges, of which only the pillars that once supported them remain.

Derna city trapped – roads, buildings and cars destroyed

The worst damage caused by the flooding in Libya is recorded just in Derna, a coastal port city. The media are publishing more and more pictures from the flooded area. Collapsed buildings, flood-muddied roads and smashed cars are just the tip of the iceberg. Even more frightening are the statistics of deaths caused by this flooding.

The floods resulted in 11,300 deaths. people

It has been officially reported that flooding in Libya has killed at least 11,300. individuals. The number continues to grow. All the more so because more than 12,000 people have been reported missing since the day Hurricane Daniel hit the Libyan coast. people, a large number of whom have yet to be found. Derna’s mayor estimated that the death toll – in his city alone – could eventually reach as high as 20,000.

Diplomats ask for help with flood damage in Libya

There is no doubt that Hurricane Daniel caused one of the biggest natural disasters in Libya’s history. Local emergency officials admitted that they were not prepared for such flooding. Until now, threats of this type have not even been thought of. Local services do not have the equipment to help them deal with the effects of the disaster. Local diplomats admit that they will not be able to cope with the destruction on their own and are officially asking for help from other countries, including those in the European Union.

Flood unveils political problems in Libya

The flooding in Libya has only underscored the country’s long-known political problems. This North African oil-rich country is unofficially divided into two parts governed by different camps of power, which are constantly competing with each other and sabotaging each other’s activities. The natural disaster forced them to cooperate, underscoring the fact that quietly dividing the country is not in the interests of Libyan citizens.

The tragic flooding in Libya proved that water is an element with which there is no joke. It should be reckoned with even if you live in areas considered extremely dry, which include the desert subtropical areas of present-day Libya. Hurricane Daniel showed what power nature has.

Photo source: Copernicus Sentinel