The city of Derna in Libya is reeling from the aftermath of a catastrophic flood that has left thousands dead, with many still missing and likely to increase the death toll.
The deluge was triggered by a powerful storm that surged through a usually dry riverbed, causing dams upstream to burst and unleashing a torrent of water that obliterated vast sections of the Mediterranean city.
Multiple multi-story buildings crumbled with families inside, and the city’s streets were soon covered in mud, debris, and wrecked vehicles, many of which were flipped onto their sides or roofs.
The devastation extended to the coastline, where possessions from homes, including clothes, toys, furniture, and shoes, were strewn across the beach.
According to Lieutenant Tarek al-Kharraz, spokesperson of the interior ministry, 3,840 deaths have been recorded in Derna, with the majority of victims already buried.
A significant number of the deceased were foreigners, primarily from Sudan and Egypt. However, Hichem Abu Chkiouat, the minister of civil aviation for eastern Libya, suggested that the death toll could exceed 5,300 and may even double.
Derna Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi estimated that the number of casualties in the city could eventually reach between 18,000 to 20,000 based on the extensive destruction witnessed across numerous districts.
Residents who experienced the tragedy firsthand recounted harrowing tales of loss. Mahmud Abdulkarim, who lost his mother and brother, spoke of their inability to evacuate their first-floor apartment in time after a dam collapsed. When they finally decided to leave, they were swept away by the surging floodwaters in the streets.
Mabrooka Elmesmary, a journalist who managed to escape Derna, described the city as a “disaster on a massive scale,” with critical shortages of water, electricity, and fuel. She reported that apartment buildings with occupants inside had been swept away, and roads were blocked or destroyed, hindering evacuation efforts. Some displaced families sought refuge in schools.
The number of missing individuals stands at 10,000, according to officials, while the UN aid agency OCHA believes the figure to be at least 5,000.
The devastation has left Derna in ruins, with the densely populated city center now resembling a flat, muddy crescent along the seasonal riverbed, and numerous buildings washed away by the floodwaters.
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