On a fateful Sunday night, the North African nation of Libya was struck by massive floods that have left a trail of destruction in their wake. As of now, the death toll in the coastal city of Derna has soared to 11,300, and the search operation continues as people wait for missing family members to be found. The cause of the floods is being considered a torrent unleashed by a storm that bursts dams and hurtles down a seasonal riverbed. The National Meteorological Centre issued a warning 72 hours before the flooding.

According to the World Meteorological Organisation, the loss of life could have been avoided if the country had an efficient weather agency. Officials in eastern Libya warned the public about the impending storm and advised locals to leave coastal regions on Saturday, fearing a sea surge. However, there was no warning that the dams would be affected.

The two dams destroyed near Derna were from the 1970s, according to officials. According to a 2021 report by a state-run audit body, the dams were not maintained despite the funding of more than 2 million euros for that purpose in 2012 and 2013.

During a Cabinet meeting on Thursday, Libya’s Tripoli-based Prime Minister, Abdul-Hamid Dbeibah, recognized the maintenance mishap and asked the Public Prosecutor to launch an urgent investigation into the dams’ collapse.

Global assistance has started to pour in from different parts of the world. Neighboring countries such as the UAE, Egypt, Tunisia, and Türkiye have sent rescue teams along with medical equipment. Italy also came forward with supplies and personnel.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) has committed $2 million from its emergency fund. Additionally, they have dispatched trauma, surgical, and emergency supplies from their logistics hub in Dubai to support the humanitarian response in Libya.

-Anushka Upadhyay