The death toll from flooding in Libya has topped a tragic number of 6,000 people. More than 10,000 people are still missing from catastrophic flooding caused by Mediterranean storm Daniel.
Morgues in the region have filled up and “remain out of service despite the desperate need to treat survivors of the disaster,” CNN reported.
What happened that caused severe flooding in Libya?
Water from the storm destroyed two dams, causing more significant damage to a country that has been rife with conflict the last 10 years, according to The New York Times. Entire neighborhoods in the city of Derna were swept away into the sea.
“The situation is catastrophic,” the Derna City Council said in a Facebook post, per the Times. “Derna is pleading for help.”
Rescue crews are still searching through the rubble to try to find any survivors. At least 30,000 people have been displaced by the disaster, according to the United Nations’ International Organization for Migration, per BBC.
Libyan health care workers are pleading for urgent aid to help with the situation.
“We just need people who understand the situation — logistic help, dogs that can actually smell people and get them from under the ground,” Libyan doctor Najib Tarhoni told BBC. “We just need the humanitarian help, people who actually know what they are doing.”
Who is sending aid to Libya?
Multiple countries have already sent in help, and many others have committed to sending humanitarian aid to Libya. Here are some that are sending help to the country, according to CNN.
- Tunisia sent in a team of 52 people to help with search and rescue for survivors.
- Algerian army aircraft delivered food, medical supplies, clothing and tents to the area.
- Germany, Romania and Finland will provide generators, food, beds and blankets.
- Turkish search and rescue teams are on their way to help in the efforts.
- Italy is sending in a civil defense team in order to help with search and rescue.
- The U.S. and the U.N. are coordinating to provide funding and aid to the area.
- United Arab Emirates has also committed to send humanitarian assistance and rescue teams to help.
What do we know about Libya?
Libya is divided into two rival governments — one that is recognized internationally that is based in Tripoli and a separately governed region in the east, which “was formerly held by Islamic extremists,” the Deseret News reported.
The divided government situation is complicating the swiftness of aid and humanitarian workers being able to help in the area.
A lack of unified government control and continued conflict in the region has also allowed for crumbling and neglected infrastructures, weakening buildings and dams — therefore intensifying the impacts of the storm and flooding.