The flooding that has killed thousands of people in Libya may have far more far-reaching consequences than previously thought. Authorities in the city of Derna, which was virtually wiped off the face of the earth after the impact of Storm Daniel, warned of an epidemic looming in the affected areas.
The failure of dams due to a hurricane, which triggered large-scale flooding in northeast Libya, had enormous consequences for the country. As a result of the disaster, according to the latest data, at least 8 thousand people died, and more than 10 thousand are still missing. At the same time, the authorities believe that the number of victims will grow – the final figure may exceed 20 thousand victims.
The city of Derna was at the center of the disaster, suffering more than other settlements. Now he may be the cause of another tragedy.
Now the key problem of the city, in addition to the flooded areas, is the huge number of bodies of dead residents. Rescuers sent by other countries in the Middle East are gradually arriving in Derna, and Mayor Abdel Manam al-Ghaiti notes that efforts should be focused on finding the dead at the moment.
“We really need teams specialized in searching for bodies. I am afraid that an epidemic will begin in the city due to the large number of corpses under the rubble and in the water,” he said.
A similar opinion was expressed by the head of the search headquarters, Lutfi al-Misrati, as quoted by The Guardian. “We need body bags,” he said.
This problem is not limited to Derna. Emad al-Falah, a spokesman for one of the humanitarian organizations working in Benghazi, told the media: “Bodies are everywhere: inside houses, on the streets in the sea. Wherever you go, you will find dead men, women and children. Entire families have died.”
To prevent an epidemic in destroyed settlements, local authorities are forced to bury people in mass graves – hundreds of victims can be buried in such collective graves. In Derna, local residents are calling for a new field hospital to be built because existing hospitals have long been turned into makeshift morgues.
Currently, representatives of the international community are making efforts to provide assistance to Libya. The Government of National Unity, which is based in Tripoli, said that 12 countries had sent humanitarian aid and rescue workers to the country. It is known that among them are the UAE, Turkey, France, Great Britain and others.