The latest statement from the Libyan Red Crescent reports a death toll exceeding 11 thousand, with approximately 20 thousand people still missing. It is believed that around 2,000 bodies were washed into the sea by the flood.
The Mayor of the port city of Derna, where the flood completely destroyed almost a quarter of the population, states they believe more than 20 thousand people died, with about 5,500 bodies found so far.
While many dead people lie in mass graves, Derna faces a severe shortage of body bags, which is crucial to prevent the spread of diseases. Search and rescue teams have entered the city and initiated work on the collapsed buildings.
Both sides of the ongoing civil war have separately called for an investigation to find those responsible for the incident. President of the Presidential Council in eastern Libya, Mohammed al-Menfi, and the leader of the Turkey-backed administration in Tripoli, Abdulhamid Dibeybe, have demanded an investigation into the issue. Nefi emphasized their desire to see everyone responsible for the dam collapse punished.
Although the country divided into two administrations due to the civil war, it’s widely acknowledged that the chief prosecutor, Siddik El-Sur, wields influence throughout the country.
According to The Guardian, the neglect of the poor condition of the two dams, whose collapse led to the flood, has caused anger despite warnings over the years.
Turkish company Arsel won the tender to work on the dams in 2007 but left the country with the outbreak of war in 2011. Dibeybe’s information indicates that construction machines stole after Arsel’s withdrawal, and part of the funds allocated for dam repairs came from the Ministry of Water Resources.
