The Libya Red Crescent has reported that the death toll resulting from the destructive floods that recently ravaged the North African nation has now reached 11,300, with ongoing search efforts aimed at finding more missing individuals.
Even after more than a week, numerous victims’ bodies remain submerged in water, sparking concerns of potential infectious diseases due to the decomposition of the corpses, as cautioned by health experts.
The people of Libya continue to grieve following the catastrophic floods caused by storm Daniel, which resulted in the breach of two dams and widespread devastation, affecting nearly a quarter of the eastern city of Derna.
The latest figures represent a doubling of the initial casualty count in Derna, which health authorities had previously estimated to be 5,500. The Associated Press has reported statements from Marie el-Drese, an official from the Libya Red Crescent, stating that an additional 10,000 individuals are still unaccounted for.
On Thursday, a United Nations official asserted that many of the casualties could have been prevented.
“If there had been a functioning meteorological service, appropriate warnings could have been issued,” remarked Petteri Taalas, the head of the World Meteorological Organisation, during a press conference in Geneva.
“Emergency management authorities would have been able to carry out timely evacuations,” he further emphasized.
