New Delhi: A freak flood caused by a huge Mediterranean storm has wreaked havoc in Libya this week, with over 6,000 people killed and around 10,000 individuals feared missing, according to government officials. The death toll is expected to rise as recovery operations continue in the coastal city.
The storm, named Storm Daniel, swept across the Mediterranean and caused dams to burst, unleashing torrents of water that engulfed homes and infrastructure in its path.
The floods have decimated Derna, a city in the eastern part of the country, where over 2,000 bodies have already been discovered.
External Affairs Minister S Jaishankar on Wednesday expressed solidarity with Libya. “Deeply saddened by the loss of lives due to the heavy floods in Libya. Our sympathies are with the families of the victims and with all those affected by the calamity. Express our solidarity with the people of Libya in this difficult time,” Jaishankar said on X.
Here Are The Latest Updates:
- According to Saadeddin Abdul Wakil, health ministry undersecretary of the Unity Government in Tripoli, the death toll rose to over 6,000 people as of Wednesday morning local time, reported CNN.
- Hichem Abu Chkiouat, minister of civil aviation in the administration that controls the east, told Reuters, "Bodies are lying everywhere - in the sea, in the valleys, under the buildings." "I am not exaggerating when I say that 25% of the city has disappeared. Many, many buildings have collapsed."
- Mohamad al-Qabisi, director of the Wahda Hospital, said 1,700 people had died in one of the city's two districts and 500 had died in the other, according to news agency Reuters.
- Other eastern cities, including Libya's second-biggest city Benghazi, were also hit by the storm.
- In response to the crisis, several countries have pledged aid. At least two planes carrying humanitarian aid from Qatar landed in Benghazi's Benina International Airport in the early hours of Wednesday. The aid included equipment for a field hospital, water pumps, tents, and blankets.
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Tuesday announced the dispatch of 168 search and rescue teams and humanitarian aid to Benghazi.
Other countries who have pledged support include Egypt, Jordan, Tunisia, and Kuwait. The United Nations, European Union, and the United States are also releasing emergency funds.