Communication Chaos Compounds Derna’s Flood Crisis

In the flood-stricken city of Derna in eastern Libya, a daylong communication outage has added to the chaos and complications as search teams continue to scour the rubble and sea for bodies. The outage was caused by the severing of fibre-optic cables, Libya’s state-owned telecommunications company said, and engineers are investigating to determine whether it was a result of digging for bodies or sabotage.

The crisis deepened as residents and journalists struggled to reach those inside Derna, and authorities struggled to communicate with the city. “I never thought we would survive,” said a resident, echoing the desperate sentiments of many in the city. The devastating floods, triggered by heavy rains, swept away entire neighborhoods and sent thousands to sea.

The country’s chief prosecutor, Al-Sidiq Al-Sour, vowed to take “serious measures” to deliver justice for the victims, while search teams comb through the rubble and sea for thousands of bodies still missing. The death toll has been estimated to range from 4,000 to over 11,000, with many remains still unidentified.

Thousands of people were displaced, with many moving to other cities or sheltered in schools. Health authorities have launched a vaccination campaign, initially targeting search and rescue teams, as concerns grow about outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Local authorities have isolated the worst-hit areas, fearing the spread of infection.

As the city struggles to come to terms with the disaster, protest erupted outside the main mosque in Derna. Hundreds of angry protesters demanded an investigation into the disaster be accelerated and called for the reconstruction of Derna to be overseen by the United Nations.

Eastern Libya’s general prosecutor has launched an investigation into the collapse of the two dams, which were built by a Yugoslav construction company in the 1970s. The dams were meant to protect the city from flash floods, but were not maintained for decades, despite warnings. Many locals have called for an international investigation, a move that highlights the deep mistrust of state institutions.

Humanitarian aid continues to flow into Libya, with a recent US shipment arriving in Benghazi, according to Samantha Power, head of the US Agency for International Development. As the city begins the long and difficult road to recovery, the need for effective communication and cooperation becomes clear.