Civilians, journalists evacuated from Libya’s Derna after floods

Teams of Turkiye’s State Disaster and Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) join search and rescue operations to save lives following devastating floods in Libya on September 13, 2023 [TUR Disaster&amp/Emergency Management/Anadolu Agency]

Libyan authorities have evacuated civilians and journalists from the eastern city of Derna amid rescue efforts following devastating floods that killed thousands, according to officials on Wednesday, Anadolu Agency reports.

“The army evacuated the city of all its residents and journalists to facilitate search and rescue operations,” Tariq Al-Kharraz, a spokesman of East Libya-based Interior Ministry, told Anadolu.

Torrential rains from Storm Daniel swept several areas in eastern Libya on Sunday, killing more than 6,000 people with thousands still missing, according to officials.

Adding to the tragedy in Derna was the collapse of two dams, dragging large parts of the coastal city into the sea.

Al-Kharraz earlier said that more than 2,000 corpses had been buried in Derna, including 1,100 unidentified bodies.

On Monday, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Libyan Red Crescent put the figure of missing people at 10,000.

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