Floods in Libya: the threshold of 11,000 deaths crossed in Derna (Ocha)
According to a new report communicated on Sunday September 17, 2023 by the United Nations, the floods caused 11,300 deaths in the town of Derna. The toll could rise as excavations continue in this town in northeastern Libya.
In Derna, a town located on the Mediterranean coast of Libya, emergency services are hard at work to save the last survivors of the floods which left 11,300 dead according to the latest report drawn up on Sunday September 17, 2023 by the Coordination Office of United Nations Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA). According to this source, which cites the Libyan Red Crescent, at least 10,100 have been missing since Storm Daniel on September 10.
For Ocha, this toll could rise as humanitarian aid begins to be deployed to help those affected. According to the latest data from the International Organization for Migration's (IOM) Displacement Tracking Matrix, more than 40,000 people have been displaced in northeastern Libya, although these figures are likely higher because Access restrictions have limited data collection in the most affected areas, such as Derna, where at least 30,000 people have been displaced, OCHA said.
Lack of drinking water
According to him, these displaced people do not escape death, since they are exposed to the risk of explosion “from landmines and other improvised explosive devices left by years of conflict. Floodwaters have now displaced mines, including into areas previously free of weapons contamination, according to the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC).”
Added to this is the lack of drinking water which particularly affects children. Nearly 300,000 children exposed to Storm Daniel now face an increased risk of diarrhea and cholera, dehydration and malnutrition, as well as increased risks, according to the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF). of violence and exploitation. “The National Center for Disease Control has already detected at least 55 children poisoned after drinking polluted water in Derna,” warns Ocha.
For the record, Storm Daniel hit the eastern coast of Libya on September 10, 2023. In addition to Derna which paid the heaviest price, the storm also affected the towns of Shahat, Al-Marj, Al-Bayda and Soussa. The toll drawn up by the eastern Libyan authorities in these other cities is 170 dead. The situation worsened in Derna when two dams on the coastal river Wadi Derna collapsed under the weight of water on the night of September 10-11.
