A storm named Daniel has been raging across the African country of Libya for several days, causing cyclones and floods and leaving thousands of victims.

Usama Ali, spokesman for the government’s internationally recognized emergency services, which have a team in the city of Derna, said the floods caused “more than 2,300 deaths” and some 7,000 injuries, and more than 5,000 people are missing.

The dead included three volunteers from the Libyan Red Crescent Society who helped people affected by the disaster, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) said on Tuesday.

The panorama in the country is devastating. Images and videos emerged during the tragedy show several buildings on the banks of a river collapsing and small houses disappearing into the rising waters after two dams in Derna broke.

Blocked roads, landslides and flooding prevented emergency services from reaching the population of the affected areas. They had to resort to rudimentary means to recover the bodies and pull the survivors out of the mud.

International aid

According to authorities, emergency teams sent by Turkey arrived in the disaster area.

US Ambassador to Libya Richard Norland announced that the embassy will issue a “statement of humanitarian needs (which) will authorize initial funding” for his country to provide assistance to emergency response teams, according to a post on X (formerly Twitter).

The European Union (EU) also said it was ready to send aid, as the bloc’s head of diplomacy, Josep Borrel, also stated in X.

Since the massive earthquake that shook the city of Al Marj (east) in 1963, this is the worst natural disaster to hit this part of the country. (JO)