Libya floods: 11 300 dead and thousands missing

After passing through Greece, Turkey and Bulgaria, storm "Daniel", accompanied by torrential rain, struck eastern Libya on 10 September 2023, causing severe flooding and the bursting of two dams upstream of the coastal town of Derna.

This city, home to over 100 000 inhabitants and located 900 kilometers east of Tripoli, was subsequently declared a "disaster city" by the government.

The Libyan Red Crescent has estimated the death toll at over 11 300. Thousands are still missing. The disaster also caused extensive damage to private property. The United Nations (UN) estimates that over 880 000 people have been affected and 2 200 buildings damaged.

In anticipation of the storm, the Libyan authorities declared a state of emergency and a curfew in Benghazi from 9 to 11 September.