Floods in eastern Libya kill at least 150 people

Addis Ababa, September 11, 2023 (FBC) – At least 150 people were killed and many others went missing after floods triggered by Mediterranean storm Daniel hit eastern Libya on Sunday, a local official said on Monday.

Mohamed Masoud, head of the Information Office of the eastern-based House of Representatives, the parliament, told Xinhua that most of the victims were from the city of Derna, some 1,300 km east of the capital Tripoli.

Local authorities have declared three days of mourning for the victims, Masoud said.

After the Mediterranean storm made landfall in eastern Libya on Sunday, it has caused flooding and destroyed facilities along its path.

Prime Minister Abdul-Hamed Dbeibah on Sunday instructed relevant authorities to remain on high alert and take measures to deal with the storm, vowing to “protect the people and ease the damage of the floods and rain”.

The Ministry of Social Affairs and the Libyan Red Crescent Society have started to offer urgent assistance to those affected by the disaster, Xinhua reports.