Current:Home > Contact-usFlood death toll in eastern Libya reaches 5,300 with many more missing, officials say-Angel Dreamer Wealth Society D1 Reviews & Insights
Flood death toll in eastern Libya reaches 5,300 with many more missing, officials say
View Date:2024-12-23 21:50:37
LONDON -- The death toll from devastating floods in eastern Libya has reached 5,300, a local health official said Wednesday.
The number of deaths is expected to continue rising as search and rescue teams recover more bodies in what the United Nations has described as a "calamity of epic proportions."
Another 10,000 people are believed to be missing and some 40,000 are displaced from their homes in the flood-hit areas, according to the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies.
MORE: Over 5,200 people feared dead, another 10,000 missing after flooding in Libya, officials say
Mediterranean storm Daniel is behind the widespread flooding in the North African nation, as it washed away entire neighborhoods over the weekend and swept bodies out to sea.
Libya's National Center of Meteorology reported that more than 16 inches of rain fell in the northeastern city of Bayda within a 24-hour period to Sunday, according to the flood tracking website Floodlist.
The nearby port city of Derna was the worst affected following the collapse of two dams, which wiped out a quarter of the area. The city has been declared a disaster zone, with electricity and communication having been cut off, according to local officials.
In Derna alone, 6,000 people feared to be missing and more than 20,000 displaced, according to the International Rescue Committee, which described the flooding as an "unprecedented humanitarian crisis."
Gen. Khalifa Haftar, head of the powerful Libyan military faction that controls the eastern part of the divided country, confirmed in a televised address on Tuesday that rescue and relief efforts were underway.
"We issued immediate instructions to use all our capabilities, provide the needed support of all urgent medical equipment, operate medical convoys and to allocate shelters to those who lost their homes," Haftar said. "We have directed the government to form a specialized committee to assess the damage, instantly begin the reconstruction of roads to facilitate transportation, restore the electricity and to take all immediate and needed measures in that regards."
The United States, Germany, Italy, Iran, Qatar and Turkey are among the countries that have said they have sent or are ready to send aid to Libya. But getting aid into the affected areas has proven difficult with many roads blocked.
Some aid has started to arrive, including from Egypt, but rescue efforts have also been hampered by the current political situation in Libya, with the country split between two warring governments -- one in the east and the other in the west.
ABC News' Zoe Magee and Joe Simonetti contributed to this report.
veryGood! (9728)
Related
- Voters in California city reject measure allowing noncitizens to vote in local races
- Alex Jones' Infowars set to be auctioned off to help pay victims of Sandy Hook defamation case
- Naomi Campbell banned from charity role for 5 years after financial investigation
- Tommy Kramer, former Minnesota Vikings Pro Bowl QB, announces dementia diagnosis
- The Cowboys, claiming to be 'all in' prior to Dak Prescott's injury, are in a rare spot: Irrelevance
- Hurricane Helene's 'catastrophic' storm surge brings danger, disastrous memories
- Cardi B Debuts New Look in First Public Appearance Since Giving Birth to Baby No. 3
- UFC reaches $375 million settlement on one class-action lawsuit, another one remains pending
- Smithfield agrees to pay $2 million to resolve child labor allegations at Minnesota meat plant
- When do new 'Grey's Anatomy' episodes come out? Season 21 premiere date, time, cast, where to watch
Ranking
- Bradley Cooper and Gigi Hadid Enjoy a Broadway Date Night and All that Jazz
- NASA, Boeing and Coast Guard representatives to testify about implosion of Titan submersible
- Caitlin Clark's spectacular run comes to a close. Now, she'll take time to reflect
- 2 hurt in IED explosion at Santa Barbara County courthouse, 1 person in custody
- Military veteran gets time served for making ricin out of ‘curiosity’
- Caitlin Clark's record-setting rookie year is over. How much better can she get?
- Kendall Jenner Frees the Nipple During Night Out With Gigi Hadid for Rosalía’s Birthday Party
- Get in the holiday spirit: Hallmark releases its 'Countdown to Christmas' movie lineup
Recommendation
-
Round 2 in the Trump-vs-Mexico matchup looks ominous for Mexico
-
En busca de soluciones para los parques infantiles donde el calor quema
-
How much will Southwest Airlines change to boost profits? Some details are emerging
-
It's not just fans: A's players have eyes on their own Oakland Coliseum souvenirs, too
-
California man allegedly shot couple and set their bodies, Teslas on fire in desert
-
Naomi Campbell banned from charity role for 5 years after financial investigation
-
4 youths given 'magic mushrooms' by suspected drug dealer, 2 of them overdosed: Police
-
Shohei Ohtani 50/50 home run ball headed to auction. How much will it be sold for?