Libya floods: UN says deaths could have been averted if emergency management systems had functioned properly

The United Nations (UN) stated on Thursday, September 14, that many of the fatalities resulting from floods in Libya’s Derna could have been prevented if early warning and emergency management systems had operated effectively. Petteri Taalas, the head of the UN’s World Meteorological Organization (WMO), emphasized that with better-coordinated efforts in the crisis-afflicted country, “they could have issued warnings, and the emergency management forces could have carried out evacuations, thereby preventing most of the human casualties.”

Taalas pointed out that the absence of adequate weather forecasting, warning dissemination, and prompt action on early warnings significantly contributed to the magnitude of the disaster. He also noted that the prolonged internal conflict in the country had severely damaged its meteorological observing network and information technology systems.

“The lack of proper early warning systems meant that when the flooding occurred, there were no evacuation measures in place,” Taalas further explained to reporters. “While it’s impossible to entirely eliminate economic losses, we could have minimized those losses with the presence of proper services,” he added.

The reported death toll from the floods has exceeded 5,000, with official figures varying but consistently numbering in the thousands. Derna Mayor Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi estimated that the death toll in the city could reach 18,000-20,000 based on the extent of the damage. He emphasized the need for specialized teams to recover bodies and expressed concern about the risk of an epidemic due to the large number of bodies trapped under rubble and in the water.

Several countries have rushed to provide humanitarian aid to Libya, including rescue teams, food, water, emergency shelters, medical supplies, and body bags.

Climate experts have linked the disaster to the consequences of a warming planet, exacerbated by years of instability and deteriorating infrastructure in the country.

The floods were triggered by a powerful Mediterranean storm named Daniel, which breached dams, destroyed buildings, and submerged up to a quarter of the city. Storm Daniel gained strength during an unusually hot summer and previously affected Turkey, Bulgaria, and Greece.