Summary:
- Many people are feared to have died after two dams above Derna broke on September 10, obliterating residential blocks while people slept.
- State media said on Sunday at least 891 buildings had been destroyed in a city whose mayor has said 20,000 people may have died.
- The UN Libya envoy visited the flood-stricken Derna, where he checked up on field operations and met the head of the Eastern-based administration.
- A report by the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said Libyan authorities had detected at least 55 children poisoned from drinking polluted water in Derna.
Survivors whose houses were swept away by the devastating flood in Libya's city, Derna, have a hard choice to make. Stay, despite a lack of fresh water, or flee through areas where landmines have been displaced by the torrents.
Libyan Flood Survivors Face Landmine Risks
Residents of Derna in Libya are facing a difficult choice following the devastating floods that swept through the city. Survivors whose homes were destroyed must choose between staying in an area without fresh water or fleeing through areas that may be littered with landmines. Many people have been left at a loss over what to do next, with the situation made worse by the fact that thousands of people are feared to have died in the floods that occurred on September 10. Libyan rescue volunteers are working to recover survivors, but many people remain displaced and in need of assistance.
Devastation in Derna
The floods that swept through Derna were catastrophic, with whole districts of the city being destroyed. The estimated population of the city is at least 120,000, and many people were buried in mud or swept out to sea. State media reports that at least 891 buildings were destroyed, and the mayor of the city has suggested that as many as 20,000 people may have died. With so many people affected, it is difficult to know where to begin in terms of providing aid and assistance.
UN Intervention and Reports of Poisonings
The UN has become involved in the aftermath of the floods, with the UN Libya envoy visiting the city to assess the situation and provide support where possible. A report by the UN's Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs found that at least 55 children had been poisoned by drinking polluted water in Derna. This highlights the risks that displaced people are facing, with many having no choice but to drink water from contaminated sources
Floodwaters had shifted landmines and other ordinance left over from years of conflict, posing an extra risk to the thousands of displaced people on the move.