At least 150 people were killed in freak floods in Libya as a result of storm "Daniel" which has swept the Mediterranean, news agency AFP reported citing an official on Monday.
Mohamed Massoud, a spokesperson for the Benghazi-based administration in Libya, disclosed, "At least 150 people were killed as a result of flooding and torrential rains left by storm Daniel in Derna, the Jabal al-Akhdar region, and the suburbs of Al-Marj," as reported by AFP.
A powerful Mediterranean storm swept through eastern Libya on Monday, damaging houses and roads and killing at least three people, according to Reuters, citing government sources and witnesses. Two people had gone missing.
Purported visuals circulated on social media depicted people stranded atop their vehicles, seeking assistance amid the heavy floods unleashed by "Storm Daniel". The affected cities included Benghazi, Sousse, Al Bayda, Al-Marj, and Derna, according to the report.
In response to the crisis, authorities declared a state of extreme emergency, leading to the closure of schools and stores and the imposition of a curfew as the storm struck on Sunday and Monday, the report said.
Additionally, four major oil ports in Libya — Ras Lanuf, Zueitina, Brega, and Es Sidra — were closed for a period of three days starting from Saturday evening, as confirmed by oil engineers who spoke to Reuters.
As per the report, Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeiba of the interim government in Tripoli declared his directive for all state agencies to "immediately deal" with the damage and flooding in the eastern cities on Sunday.
The United Nations in Libya expressed its vigilance in monitoring the storm's impact closely and pledged to "provide urgent relief assistance in support of response efforts at local and national levels".