Libya Floods: Death Toll Expected To Rise As 10,000 Still Missing

The death toll in the massive inundation in Libya is expected to increase in the coming days as at least 10,000 individuals are currently missing.

(Photo : Getty Images/AFP)

Officials said that the confirmed death toll has already climbed to 5,300.

This as they stressed that the situation in Derna, a port city in Libya where two dams had exploded over the weekend, has been described as disastrous beyond comprehension.

Effects

Authorities said that in the eastern city of Derna, where the massive devastation has been felt, as many as 6,000 people have remained missing.

Furthermore, hospitals in the city are no longer operable and the morgues are already full.

Dead bodies have already filled the outside portion of the morgues that are situated along the sidewalks.

Three bridges have been destroyed after the two dams in the city had collapsed. The floodwaters had reached its peak in northeastern Libya on Sunday, with strong winds of up to 80 kilometers per hour, interrupting communications and bringing down electricity towers and trees.

Torrential rains, brought by Storm Daniel, caused flash flooding in several cities.

Moreover, phone lines have been down making it difficult for the rescue efforts for the survivors to continue.

Authorities have said that they need three types of specialized search groups including teams to recover bodies which can be found from rugged valleys after huge torrents had dispersed them, groups to recover bodies from under the rubble, as well as teams to recover bodies from the sea.

Tens of thousands of military personnel have also been deployed to assist in the search and rescue operations, however, many of the flood-stricken regions are still inaccessible to emergency workers.

Assistance

In a statement released by a spokesman, United Nations (UN) Secretary General António Guterres already expressed his deep sympathies and heartfelt condolences to the Libyan authorities and the families of those who have lost their loved ones following the heavy rains.

"At this time, our thoughts are with the thousands of people being affected there in their communities, we stand in solidarity with all people in Libya during this difficult time," Spokesperson Stéphane Dujarric said during a briefing with reporters in New York.

The UN team has been on the ground to respond in the situation. Moreover, the UN is also mobilizing resources and emergency teams to support those affected residents.

The UN is also working with local, national, and international partners to get urgently needed humanitarian assistance to people in the affected areas.

Further, the group is working with Libyan authorities to assess the needs and support ongoing relief efforts.

Meanwhile, the UN World Health Organization has deployed prepositioned aid supplies to the affected areas.

It estimated that the massive and torrential rains had adversely affected up to 1.8 million people and damaged and even "wiped out" some of the nation's hospitals.

The Libyan Government had alreadyannounced three days of mourning in all the affected cities as it called them "disaster areas."

Emergency responders, government workers and residents continue to work hand in hand to dig through rubbles in hopes that they might find more survivors.

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