Storm Daniel and the flooding it caused are the deadliest environmental disaster in Libya’s modern history. Years of war and the lack of a central government have left the North African country’s infrastructure crumbling, leaving it vulnerable to the intense rains. According to the United Nations, Libya is the only country without a climate strategy.
Historic floods have swept away a quarter of the Libyan city of Derna. Photo: Planet
The North African country has been divided between rival governments and beset by militia conflict since the NATO-backed “Arab Spring” coup that toppled President Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.
The eastern port city of Derna was the worst hit, with many waterfront buildings gone and washed away after two dams burst. Videos showed water gushing over Derna’s remaining buildings and overturned cars, with bodies lined up on sidewalks covered with blankets waiting to be buried. Residents said the only sign of danger was the loud cracking of the dam, with no warning system or evacuation plan.
Two Governments, Two Prime Ministers
Since 2014, Libya has been divided between two rival governments, each backed by international sponsors and numerous armed militias on the ground.
In Tripoli, Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibah heads Libya's UN-recognized government. In Benghazi, Prime Minister Ossama Hamad heads the Eastern Government, backed by powerful military commander Khalifa Belqasim Haftar.
Both the Tripoli and eastern governments have separately pledged to support rescue efforts in flood-affected areas, but they have no record of successful cooperation.
Rival parliaments have failed for years to find common ground to unite despite international pressure, including elections scheduled for 2021 that were never held. The intervention of regional and world powers has deepened the divisions.
Floodwaters surround buildings in the city of Marj, Libya. Photo: USA Today
Most recently in 2020, the two sides fought an all-out war, with Haftar’s eastern forces besieging Tripoli in a year-long failed military campaign to capture the capital, leaving thousands dead.
Then in 2022, former eastern leader Fathi Basagah attempted to bring his government to Tripoli before bloody clashes with rival militias forced him to withdraw.
Back to the developments of the recent historic floods in Libya, the UAE, Egypt and Türkiye are all supporting rescue efforts on the ground. But as of Tuesday, rescue operations were having difficulty reaching the city of Derna.
Dr Claudia Gazzini, senior Libya analyst at the International Crisis Group (ICG), said the problem was partly logistical, with many roads into the port city cut off by the storm. But political conflict also played a role.
“International efforts to send rescue teams must go through the government in Tripoli,” Ms Gazzini said. That means the right to allow aid into the worst-hit areas lies with a rival faction, while the path to the UAE or Egypt is seen by Tripoli as a backer of the eastern government and General Khalifa Belqasim Haftar.
Growing unrest and discontent
The floods add to a long list of problems stemming from the country’s lawlessness. Last month, protests erupted across Libya after news of a secret meeting between Libyan Foreign Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh and his Israeli counterpart. The protests morphed into calls for Dbeibeh to resign.
A rubber boat carrying migrants from Libya to Europe. Photo: AN
In early August, sporadic fighting broke out between two rival militias in the capital, killing at least 45 people, a reminder of the influence of rogue armed groups that are rampant across Libya.
Libya has become a major transit point for Middle Eastern and African migrants fleeing conflict and poverty in search of a better life in Europe. Militants and traffickers have capitalized on the instability in Libya, smuggling migrants across its borders from six countries, including Egypt, Algeria and Sudan.
Meanwhile, Libya’s vast oil reserves have done little to help its people. Production of crude oil, Libya’s most valuable export, has slowed to a trickle at times due to a blockade and security threats against companies. The distribution of oil revenues has become a major point of contention.
There was no "Arab Spring"
Much of Derna was built during the Italian occupation of Libya in the first half of the 20th century. The city became famous for its beautiful white houses by the sea and palm gardens.
Libya has been plagued by bloody power struggles since dictator Muammar al-Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011. Photo: GI
But after Muammar Gaddafi was overthrown in 2011, it became a hub for Islamist extremists, and later suffered heavy fighting, being besieged by forces loyal to Haftar. The city was last captured by Haftar's forces in 2019.
Like other cities in eastern Libya, Derna has not been rebuilt or invested in much since the “Arab Spring.” Most of its modern infrastructure was built during Gaddafi’s reign, including the recently collapsed Wadi Derna dam, built by a Yugoslav company in the mid-1970s.
According to Dr Jalel Harchaoui, a Libya expert at the London-based Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies, Haftar views Derna and its people with suspicion and does not want to allow the city too much independence.
For example, last year a large-scale reconstruction plan for Derna was carried out by experts from Benghazi and elsewhere, not locals.
That has contributed to the tragedy that has occurred and may continue to occur in Derna, which was hit hardest by the recent historic floods. “Unfortunately, this distrust may cause further disasters in the coming post-disaster period,” Dr. Harchaoui said.
Quang Anh
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