Libya Marks First Anniversary of Deadly Floods

September 10th will mark the first anniversary of floods in Libya that killed thousands and displaced many more. According to a report issued in November by the UN, there were 4,352 confirmed deaths with 8,000 people still missing.

The floods were triggered after Storm Daniel burst two dams near Derna.

Swathes of Derna, a city of 125,000 residents, were obliterated by the flood, which brought down multi-storey buildings while families were asleep. Entire neighborhoods were washed away.

In the immediate aftermath, the Libyan Red Crescent coordinated the evacuation of people, provided first aid and carried out search and rescue.

The country also called for international aid, with several governments offering financial assistance as well as teams of relief personnel. Several Libyans from neighboring cities also volunteered in the relief effort.

A report by the World Bank, United Nations and European Union said the dams' collapse was partly due to their design, based on outdated hydrological information, and partly a result of poor maintenance and governance problems during Libya's conflict.

The report also noted that climate change made the rainfall unleashed by Storm Daniel up to 50 times more likely and 50% more intense.

In the aftermath of the disaster, the head of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) said that casualties could have been avoided if the divided country, shattered by some 12 years of conflict and chaos, had a functional weather service able to issue warnings.

In July 2024, a Libyan court jailed 12 officials in connection with the collapse of the dams. The officials, who were responsible for managing the country's dams, were sentenced to between 9 and 27 years in prison by the Court of Appeal in Derna. Four officials were acquitted.