Libya Floods: Derna's Missing in High-Stakes Search
Derna: In the aftermath of the catastrophic flash flood that
engulfed the Libyan port city of Derna, rescuers painstakingly combed through
the muck and wreckage on Friday in their quest to locate those who went missing
in the deluge, a tragedy that claimed the lives of over 3,000 individuals.
The torrential surge of water unleashed its fury after
breaching two upstream dams on a fateful Sunday, transforming Derna into a
nightmarish wasteland. Entire city blocks vanished, and an untold number of
residents were swept away into the unforgiving waters of the Mediterranean.
In response to this humanitarian crisis, the United Nations
launched an urgent appeal, seeking more than $71 million to aid the hundreds of
thousands in dire need. The magnitude of the disaster remains distressingly
uncertain.
An on-the-ground report from an AFP journalist described the
central neighborhoods flanking the river, which usually runs dry at this time
of year, as resembling the aftermath of a colossal steamroller assault. Trees
and buildings were uprooted, and vehicles were flung onto the breakwaters of
the port.
A survivor, who, along with his mother, was swept away during
the late-night ordeal and sustained injuries, shared his harrowing experience.
They managed to find refuge in an empty building downstream as the water
relentlessly rose. From his hospital bed, the survivor recounted the nightmare:
"The water was rising with us until we got to the fourth floor, the water
was up to the second floor. We could hear screams. From the window, I saw cars
and bodies being carried away by the water. It lasted an hour or an hour and a
half - but for us, it felt like a year."
Officials in the eastern part of the divided country provided
varying estimates of the death toll, with one official suggesting a toll of at
least 3,840 casualties.
As UN aid chief Martin Griffiths emphasized the urgent need
for coordination between Libya's two rival administrations – the UN-backed
government in Tripoli and the one based in the disaster-stricken east –
uncertainty still shrouded the true extent of the disaster.
Tamer Ramadan of the International Federation of Red Cross and
Red Crescent Societies held onto hope for finding survivors, but refrained from
providing a specific figure. Meanwhile, the International Organisation for
Migration reported that "over 38,640" people were displaced in the
hardest-hit areas of northeastern Libya, including 30,000 in Derna alone.
In the wake of this catastrophe, Derna's streets are now lined
with hundreds of body bags, awaiting mass burials. Traumatized residents,
overcome with grief, search the wreckage of buildings for their missing loved
ones, while bulldozers labor to clear the streets of debris and sand.
Lieutenant Tarek al-Kharraz, a spokesperson for the east-based
government, explained that efforts are underway to collect DNA samples and
photographs of the victims before their burials to facilitate later
identification.
The devastation was described by Yann Fridez, head of the
Libya delegation of the International Committee of the Red Cross, as
"violent and brutal." He witnessed a colossal wave, measuring seven
meters (23 feet) high, obliterate buildings and wash away infrastructure into
the sea. Now, families grapple with the loss of their loved ones, dead bodies
wash ashore, and homes lay in ruins.
Abdelaziz Bousmya, a resident of the Chiha neighborhood that
was spared the brunt of the flood, tragically lost loved ones. He expressed his
frustration, alleging that authorities failed to take preventive measures.
The catastrophic floods were triggered by Hurricane-strength
Storm Daniel, exacerbated by Libya's fragile infrastructure. The country has
been in turmoil since a NATO-backed uprising toppled and killed long-time
dictator Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
Petteri Taalas, the chief of the UN World Meteorological
Organisation, lamented that many lives could have been spared if early warning
and emergency management systems had functioned properly in this war-scarred
nation. He emphasized that timely warnings and efficient evacuation procedures
could have prevented most of the human casualties.
Access to Derna remains severely hampered due to the
destruction of roads and bridges, as well as the disruption of power and
communication lines across wide areas. The United Nations has called for the
establishment of a sea corridor for emergency relief and evacuations, given the
collapse of most overland routes.
UN aid chief Griffiths disclosed that an estimated 884,000
people are in desperate need of assistance. The UN's World Food Programme has
initiated the distribution of food aid to more than 5,000 displaced families,
although thousands in Derna find themselves homeless and without sustenance.
Climate experts have linked this disaster to the impacts of a
warming planet, compounded by Libya's deteriorating infrastructure.