Tripoli [Libya], September 15: As of September 14, the eastern Libyan port city of Derna was destroyed beyond recognition after Hurricane Daniel swept through the area, causing waves up to 7 meters high and washing everything out to sea.
According to Reuters, Derna was almost wiped out when the streets were flooded with deep mud, uprooted trees were scattered and hundreds of cars were damaged, many overturned on the road and many high-rise buildings collapsed when the The family is sleeping inside.
Residents of Derna are still desperately searching for missing relatives . Many bodies were found on beaches, while many people said some bodies of strangers were swept into their homes by the water. Finding and identifying those in distress has become extremely complicated due to deep political rifts in the country of 7 million people and constant war since the overthrow of leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The figures on the number of deaths are still unclear, because political factions give completely different information, but the common point is that they all amount to thousands of people.
While recognized government officials in the capital Tripoli recorded 3,840 deaths in Derna, the opposition in the east estimates that more than 5,300 people have lost their lives so far and predicts the number will likely rise significantly. significantly, it can even double.
Derna is under the control of the eastern military faction. According to Mr. Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi - the head of Derna appointed by the eastern government, in addition to high casualties, the number of missing people is believed to be up to 20,000 people. In an interview with Al Jazeera, the official called for outside assistance, including body bags to ensure hygiene, as rescuers fear a large number of drowned bodies. in the country can cause an outbreak of a new epidemic.
The New York Times, citing information from the International Organization for Migration, said at least 30,000 people in Derna had to evacuate to ensure safety. Basheer Omar, spokesman for the International Committee of the Red Cross in Libya , said it was difficult for emergency medical workers to reach areas affected by traffic disruptions and communication lines were down. cut off due to storms and floods.
Libyan Prime Minister Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah called this flood an unprecedented disaster. Faced with the above situation, aid from Egypt, Tunisia, the United Arab Emirates, Turkey and Qatar is being urgently transferred to the North African country.
Source: ThanhNien Newspaper