After storms: thousands feared dead in Libya Suspected Chinese spy unmasked in British Parliament

After heavy storms in Libya, the government fears thousands of deaths in the east of the country. The Prime Minister of one of the rival governments in the civil war country, Osama Hammad, told the Al-Massar television channel on Monday that more than 2,000 people were feared dead. Thousands more people in the country with almost seven million inhabitants are missing. There was initially no independent information about fatalities. Storm “Daniel” hit Libya on Sunday.

Civil war broke out in Libya in 2011 after the fall of former ruler Muammar al-Gaddafi. Numerous militias are still fighting for influence in the oil-rich state. Two hostile governments, each with one seat in the east and one in the west, are currently vying for power. All diplomatic attempts to resolve the conflict peacefully have so far failed. The conflict is further fueled by foreign states.

The government in the capital Tripoli led by Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbaiba spoke of the heaviest rainfall in more than forty years.

The UN humanitarian coordinator in Libya, Georgette Gagnon, called on the international community to provide rapid assistance. According to initial reports, dozens of towns and cities have been “severely affected” by the storm, Gagnon wrote on X, formerly Twitter.

According to the emergency services, the northeast was mainly affected. According to the municipal authorities, the situation in the city of Derna had “gotten out of control”. It is said that two dams have burst there. According to the emergency service, rescue measures were sometimes difficult. They depend on helicopter support. Power and internet connection are interrupted. The affected regions were declared ‘disaster areas’.

(hah/sda/dpa)