New York - Tripoli: Agencies - Europe and the Arabs
The Military Information Division of the Libyan Army published a video highlighting the reign of devastation and devastation within the city of Derna, east of the country, due to Hurricane Daniel, where the Libyan authorities recorded the death of about 5,200 people, and nearly 10,000 missing people in the city of Derna alone.
The video highlights the extent of the destruction that befell government buildings, homes, and mosques, as well as schools, in addition to the homes located on the coast of the Derna Sea, which were completely destroyed and became like ruins.
Ahmed Amdurd, deputy mayor of the Libyan municipality of Derna and member of the municipal council, announced that the number of victims of Hurricane Daniel in the city of Derna had risen to more than 5,000 people and 10,000 missing people had been recorded so far, stressing that the situation was catastrophic in the city and needed urgent international intervention.
The Secretary-General of the United Nations extended his heartfelt condolences to the Libyan authorities and the families of those who lost their lives due to the severe storm known as Daniel, which struck eastern Libya and led to massive floods.
According to the Libyan Red Crescent, the storm led to the death of thousands of people and the loss of thousands of others. United Nations spokesman Stephane Dujarric said, “Our hearts are with the thousands of people affected. We stand in solidarity with all people in Libya during this difficult time,” according to what was stated in the daily United Nations news bulletin, a copy of which we received on Wednesday morning.
Dujarric added that the United Nations team in Libya is responding to the disaster in the affected sites. He said that the organization is mobilizing resources and emergency teams to support those affected and is working with local and international partners to provide urgently needed humanitarian assistance in the affected areas.
Dujarric said that the United Nations is coordinating with the Libyan authorities to assess needs and support relief efforts.
The International Meteorological Organization said that heavy rains hit some parts of the Mediterranean region, causing devastating floods and loss of life in Libya, the most affected country in the region.
The organization quoted the Libyan Red Crescent Society as saying that up to 10,000 people are missing. The number of victims was not immediately confirmed, but there are fears that hundreds may have been killed.
The National Meteorological Center in Libya said that the storm reached its peak in the northeast of the country on September 10, with strong winds whose speed ranged between 70 and 80 km/h.
This led to a communications outage and the fall of electricity towers and trees. The heavy rains, whose intensity ranged between 150-240 mm, caused floods in several cities, including Al-Bayda, which recorded the highest rainfall rate.
The torrential floods led to the deaths of many people and caused significant property losses. Entire neighborhoods and their residents were destroyed and disappeared in Derna after they were swept away by water following the collapse of two old dams, making the situation catastrophic and out of control, according to what the Libyan Meteorological Authority reported.
The international organization indicated that the National Meteorological Center issued early warnings about this severe weather phenomenon 72 hours before it occurred, and notified all government agencies to urge them to take more caution and take preventive measures. A state of emergency was declared in the eastern regions based on these warnings.
The International Meteorological Organization said that this disaster highlights the need for the “International Early Warning for All Campaign” launched by United Nations Secretary-General António Guterres. The organization is collaborating with the United Nations Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, the International Telecommunication Union, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies and a group of other partners to ensure that early warnings reach everyone in order to take the necessary early action.
“As the planet warms, we are expected to see more heavy rainfall, leading to more severe flooding because warmer air holds more moisture,” the organization said.
The organization explained that Storm Daniel, as it was widely known, developed the characteristics of what is called a “Medican” as it moved towards Libya, meaning what could be described as a Mediterranean hurricane.
This mixed phenomenon exhibits some characteristics of a tropical cyclone and other characteristics of a "mid-latitude" storm. The activity of this phenomenon reaches its peak historically between September and January.
United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator Martin Griffiths expressed grave concern about the devastating floods in Libya, and said that emergency teams had been mobilized to provide assistance on the ground.