A week after a tsunami-sized flash flood devastated the Libyan coastal city of Derna, sweeping thousands to their deaths, the international aid effort gained pace on Sunday to help the grieving survivors. Amid the chaos, the true death toll remained unknown, with untold numbers feared swept into the sea. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) warned on Sunday that the eventual death toll from Derna alone could be as high as 11,300, with another 10,100 missing. The massive flood came as Libya was lashed on September 10 by the hurricane-strength Mediterranean Storm Daniel, which had earlier brought deadly floods to Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria. The scale of the devastation in Derna and surrounding areas has prompted shows of solidarity across divided Libya, as volunteers in Tripoli have collected aid for the flood victims.

Source: Libya Today September 17, 2023 14:18 UTC