Libya: Authorities call for investigation into deadly floods
Libya’s authorities called for an investigation, on September 14, into whether human failings were at fault for this month’s floods in the country, reports Middle East Online and agencies, September 15.
In what was one of the world’s deadliest natural disasters in the 21st century, a powerful storm caused dams to burst in the eastern city of Derna on September 10. 20,000 are feared dead and death tolls given by officials have varied.
Abdulememam Al-Gaithi, Derna’s mayor, was alarmed at the number of deaths the floods caused.
He told Reuters that the city could now be hit by an epidemic as a result of, “the large number of bodies under the rubble and in the water.”
READ: Libya Flood: 6,000 dead, 10,000 missing, neighbourhoods gone
Derna had a population of around 100,000 people and within the city, there were two major dams, both of which collapsed earlier this month.
The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) noted that thousands of deaths could have been avoided if war-torn Libya had a working weather agency present.
The Geneva based WMO’s Secretary-General, Petteri Taalashe said, “The emergency management authorities would have been able to carry out evacuation of the people. And we could have avoided most of the human casualties.”
The North African country continues to be divided; two administrations have been established in the aftermath of the couple of civil wars. The east is under a tight grip from the Libyan National Army (LNA), led by warlord Khalifa Haftar.
The Tripoli based government (Government of National Unity) in the west is a rival establishment and is recognised by the United Nations.
With regards to a probe, Mohamed Al-Menfi, head of the three-member council that acts as the presidency in the Tripoli based government, has called for the attorney general to investigate the disaster.
Mr Al-Menfi also demamded that those behind and those who failed to act on the dam failures should be held accountable.
Countries around the world have offered aid to Libya as well as Morocco, who’s central region was struck by an earthquake killing an estimated 2,900 people in the bloodiest earthquake in the Maghreb country for over 120 years.
MIDDLE EAST ONLINE
