More than 5,000 people lost their lives, around 10,000 went missing, and 30,000 were displaced in Derna, Libya, due to unprecedented flooding triggered by a combination of extreme weather, vulnerable geography, and crumbling infrastructure. The torrential rainfall, brought by Storm Daniel, transformed into a ‘medicane’ over the abnormally warm Mediterranean waters, unloading excessive rainfall over the region. Derna’s vulnerable location at the end of a valley, bisected by the Wadi Derna, overwhelmed two dams and destroyed bridges. Libya’s war-torn state and lack of flood-resilient infrastructure worsened the disaster, with no early-warning systems in place.
Facts/Terms for UPSC Prelims
- Wadi Derna: A seasonal river that flows from the mountains to the south of Derna, Libya, and played a significant role in the city’s flooding.
- Medicane: A term used to describe a tropical-like cyclone that occasionally forms over the Mediterranean Sea.
- Khalifa Haftar: A powerful military commander backing the eastern administration in Libya, led by Prime Minister Ossama Hamad, during the country’s ongoing conflict.
- Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah: The leader of Libya’s internationally recognized government, based in Tripoli, amid the nation’s political turmoil.
- Flood-resilient structures: Infrastructure designed to withstand and mitigate the impact of floods, which were notably absent in Libya and contributed to the extent of the disaster in Derna.
