Title: Derna in Libya: A look back at the deadly floods and the devastating consequences
Introduction :
Libya was hit by deadly floods following the passage of storm Daniel on the night of September 10 to 11. Derna, a town in the east of the country, was particularly hard hit, displacing more than 43,000 people, according to UN estimates. This tragedy highlighted government failures, health dangers and the consequences of lack of maintenance of infrastructure, particularly dams. Let’s return to this major event which turned the lives of thousands of Libyans upside down.
Deadly floods in Derna:
The floods in Derna were caused by the collapse of two dams upstream of the town after Storm Daniel. The consequences have been dramatic, with a provisional official death toll of 3,351, but authorities and humanitarian organizations fear that this figure could be much higher due to the number of missing people. Residents of Derna were the first affected, forced to leave their town and move to other areas in eastern and western Libya.
The devastating consequences:
The consequences of flooding are numerous and devastating. Critical infrastructure, such as communications networks, was severely damaged, leading to an outage of internet and telephone services for several days. This situation complicated rescue operations and the delivery of necessary aid to survivors. In addition, the lack of drinking water supply created a health emergency, which was aggravated by the lack of hygiene in the devastated areas.
Government failures and the call for international aid:
The floods in Derna also revealed the failures of the Libyan government in its management of natural disasters. Residents expressed their anger and frustration towards authorities in the east of the country, holding them responsible for the disaster due to negligence in maintaining infrastructure. The UN-recognized government has called for international aid to address this humanitarian crisis, but many challenges remain to rebuild infrastructure and ensure the security of affected populations.
Conclusion :
The deadly floods in Derna in Libya have had devastating consequences on the population, with thousands of people displaced and a human toll still uncertain. This disaster highlights the failures of the government and the consequences of the lack of maintenance of infrastructure in a country already weakened by divisions. It is essential that adequate measures are taken to provide emergency assistance to affected populations, rebuild damaged infrastructure and prevent future similar disasters. International solidarity is essential to support Libya in this difficult period and enable it to rebuild on solid foundations.