Flood death toll in Libya’s Derna city could reach 20,000: Mayor

Libya: The death toll from devastating floods that struck eastern Libya could reach 18,000 to 20,000 within the Derna region alone,informed Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi.

Abdulmenam al Ghaithi told the Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television late on Wednesday the estimated number of deaths in the city could reach 18,000 to 20,000 based on the number of districts destroyed by the flood.

Osama Ali, the spokesman for the Tripoli-based emergency services, said on Wednesday that no final death toll could be determined yet because bodies are still being recovered from the affected areas.

He added that about 10,000 people have been reported missing and that 30,000 people have been displaced by the floods, adding the flood-hit regions face a severe shortage of basic supplies.

The Mediterranean coastal city of Derna was hit by a huge flash flood late on Sunday that witnesses likened to a tsunami after two upstream dams burst when torrential rains brought by Storm Daniel battered the region.

Rescue teams have arrived from Egypt, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey, and Qatar, al-Ghaithi said. Turkey is also sending a ship carrying equipment to set up two field hospitals and 148 medical staff to help with the rescue efforts.

Earlier on Wednesday, the UK government announced an initial aid package worth up to £1m to meet the immediate needs of those affected by the catastrophic flooding in Derna.

Prime Minister Rishi Sunak said in a tweet it is “shocking to see the scale of the loss and devastation caused by the floods in Libya”, adding that the UK is “working to provide immediate assistance to the Libyan people”.

(Input from Agencies).