Libya floods: 300,000 children facing health crisis; 40,000 displaced; death toll might cross 20,000 mark

Death toll in deadly Libya floods in the eastern city of Derna has risen to at least 11,300, a UN report released Saturday (Sept 16) said.

Authorities and aid groups are continuing their search and rescue efforts amid all difficulties as they clear mud and debris with heavy machinery.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) also mentioned that at least 170 people died outside the city of Derna due to massive storm.

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“These figures are expected to rise as search-and-rescue crews work tirelessly to find survivors,” the report added.

At least 10,100 people are still missing, with the mayor of the city saying the death toll could very well cross the 20,000 mark.

40,000 people displaced

Around 40,000 people have been displaced in Derna, a coastal city in Libya which typically houses around 100,000 people.

As the two dams exploded on Tuesday (Sept 12) after Derna was hit by Storm Daniel, the city was split into two as floodwaters swept through the neighbourhood, destroying everything that came in the way towards the sea.

Watch:Libya: After horrifying floods, threat of diseases loom

“With thousands of displaced people now on the move, the risk of exposure to landmines and Explosive Ordnance of War (ERW) leftover from years of conflict is on the rise, as flood waters have now shifted landmines and ERW,” OCHA said.

Almost 300,000 children who were exposed to the flooding due to Storm Daniel face an increased risk of cholera, malnutrition, diarrhoea, and dehydration. The children also face “increased risks of violence and exploitation,” the report added.

Investigation launched

Prosecutor General Al-Seddik Al-Sour has now initiated an investigation into the collapse of the dams, with media reports saying the dams had cracks since 1998.

Sour said that the dams were built by a Yugoslav company in the 1970s, "not to collect water but to protect Derna from floods."

In 1998, when the cracks were first discovered in the walls of the dams, experts from Italy had recommended Libya build a third dam to prevent the city from flooding.

Dam’s foundation problems

According to experts, the main reason behind the collapse of the dams was the foundation problem.

Nadhir Al-Ansari, an expert in the design and safety of dams, was quoted as saying by The Conversation that inadequate spillway, poor construction and uneven settlement were few other reasons that can be blamed for the collapse.

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