Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Iran: Fars News Agency: A woman and her 6-year-old son were killed in an Israeli drone attack on Kermanshah Province
Iran: IRNA: Attack Wave 21 was not carried out, and the operation carried out minutes ago was from Yemen against targets in the occupied territories
Sirens are sounding in Tel Aviv and surrounding areas
Israeli military command: We identified missiles launched from Iran
Tunis: The legitimacy created by World War II is crumbling and the future belongs to free peoples of the world
Tunis: We emphasize that the aggression against Iran should not obscure other ongoing crimes, the first of which is the war of extermination against the Palestinian people
Tunis: International legitimacy does not permit or justify aggression against Iran under any cover or title
Tunisia: Foreign Ministry: We call for an end to the aggression against our sister country, Iran, and we do not limit ourselves to condemning the Zionist and American attacks
Iran: Nur News: An Israeli aerial assault is targeting the region of Parchin, east Tehran
Iran: Iranian TV: Iranian air defenses shot down an Israeli Hermes 900 drone over Markazi Province, central Iran

UN report suggests most Libya flood deaths could have been prevented

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Agencies
  • 14 Sep 2023 15:18
3 Min Read

A UN report underscores that Libyan authorities missed opportunities to avert a significant number of casualties in the recent disaster.

  • x
  • A boy pulls a suitcase past debris in a flash-flood damaged area in Derna, eastern Libya, on September 11, 2023. (AFP)
    A boy pulls a suitcase past debris in a flash-flood damaged area in Derna, eastern Libya, on September 11, 2023. (AFP)

The United Nations has stated that the devastating loss of life in Libya's recent flood disaster could have been significantly reduced, had the early warning and emergency management systems been functioning properly.

Petteri Taalas, the head of the UN's World Meteorological Organization (WMO), assured that timely warnings could have been issued and emergency response teams could have evacuated people, potentially preventing most of the casualties.

"They could have issued the warnings and the emergency management forces would have been able to carry out the evacuation of the people, and we could have avoided most of the human casualties," Taalas told reporters in Geneva.

These remarks follow a catastrophic flash flood in eastern Libya, which claimed the lives of at least 5,100 individuals, with thousands more still missing and presumed dead.

Related News

Soumoud convoy blocked in Libya en route to break Gaza blockade

RSF claims control of strategic border triangle with Libya, Egypt

The deluge, caused by the breach of two upstream river dams, left the city of Derna in ruins, causing extensive destruction and washing away countless people into the Mediterranean Sea.

"The flooding events came and there was no evacuation taking place because there was not the proper early warning systems in place," Taalas added.

Elsewhere in his remarks, he mentioned that if evacuations had been carried out, the number of human casualties would have been considerably lower.
 
"Of course, we cannot fully avoid economic losses, but we could have also minimized those losses by having proper services in place," he said.

It is worth noting that the National Meteorological Centre (NMC) of Libya did indeed provide advance notice of the severe weather conditions 72 hours ahead of time. They also alerted government authorities via email, urging them to implement precautionary measures. However, the WMO expressed uncertainty about whether the warnings were effectively disseminated.
 
Earlier today, rescue workers in the devastated Libyan city of Derna appealed for more body bags after a catastrophic flood killed thousands of people and swept many out to sea overnight on Monday.

On September 10, Libya experienced heavy rainfall due to Storm Daniel, resulting in severe flooding in the eastern part of the country.

Susah and Derna were declared disaster areas, and both air and sea ports were temporarily closed. Curfews were also imposed in several affected cities.

  • Libya
  • Storm Daniel
  • UN
  • Libya's flood

Most Read

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

Iran launches 9th wave of Op. True Promise 3, destroys IOF air defense

  • MENA
  • 17 Jun 2025
Rescue team work at the site where a missile launched from Iran struck Tel Aviv, Israel, Monday, June 16, 2025 (AP)

Wave 12 of Operation True Promise 3 launched, Sejjil deployed: IRGC

  • Politics
  • 18 Jun 2025
Israeli workers survey the site where a missile launched from Iran struck in Haifa on Sunday, June 22, 2025. (AP)

True Promise 3, wave 20: 40 missiles launched, Kheibar-Shekan in first

  • Politics
  • 22 Jun 2025
Iran launches missile barrage to Tel Aviv, casualties reported

True Promise 3, wave 14: Tel Aviv targeted, casualties reported

  • Politics
  • 19 Jun 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Secretary of Iran's Supreme National Security Council Ali Shamkhani, speaks with then-Syrian Prime Minister Imad Khamis in a meeting in Tehran, Iran, Tuesday, January 17, 2017 (AP)
Politics

Iran holds the initiative after nuclear strikes, Shamkhani says

Blood stains a religious painting inside Mar Elias Church, where a suicide bomber detonated himself in al-Dwela, on the outskirts of Damascus, Syria, on Sunday, June 22, 2025 (AP)
Politics

UN, regional governments condemn Damascus church bombing

A B-2 bomber arrives at Whiteman Air Force Base Missouri, Sunday, June 22, 2025, after returning from a massive strike on Iranian nuclear sites on Saturday (AP)
Politics

Israeli media: US-Israeli strike on Iran failed to end war

China UN Ambassador Fu Cong addresses the United Nations Security Council, Monday, March 24, 2025. (AP Photo/Richard Drew)
Politics

China slam US strikes on Iran nuclear sites

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS