Flood wreaks havoc in Libya, death toll rises to 5,500

Tripoli: The death toll from devastating floods in eastern Libya has risen to 5,500, while 7,000 others have been injured. A local official gave this information. Osama Ali, a spokesman for Tripoli-based emergency services, said no final death toll could yet be determined as bodies were still being recovered from affected areas. Nearly 10,000 people are reported missing and 30,000 have been displaced by the floods, Xinhua news agency reported. Flood affected areas are facing severe shortage of basic supplies. On Sunday, a Mediterranean storm hit eastern Libya. This led to flooding and caused widespread damage to infrastructure.