September's devastating flash flood in Libya emerges as a staggering climate and environmental crisis, demanding a hefty $1.8 billion for reconstruction and recovery, as revealed by a recent international report.
The deluge, triggered by Storm Daniel's torrential rainfall breaching two aging dams, left extensive destruction in Derna, with entire districts swept into the Mediterranean.
According to the joint report by the World Bank, United Nations, and European Union, approximately 1.5 million people, constituting 22% of Libya's population, were profoundly affected.
The U.N. humanitarian agency OCHA reported 4,352 confirmed deaths, with 8,000 individuals still missing. Complicating the response, Libya's geopolitical divisions persisted despite a 2020 ceasefire, adding complexity to addressing the disaster.
The report attributes the dam collapses to outdated design based on obsolete hydrological data, compounded by inadequate maintenance and governance issues during Libya's conflict.
Population growth downstream, limited weather forecasting, and deficient early warning systems further amplified the disaster.
Climate change intensified Storm Daniel's rainfall, making it up to 50 times more likely and 50% more intense, according to the report. The physical damages and losses, totaling $1.65 billion, accounted for 3.6% of Libya's GDP in 2022.
Despite U.N. appeals for unity in responding to the Derna disaster, Libya's warring factions show little inclination to set aside their differences. Additionally, efforts to resolve the country's prolonged conflict through elections have faltered, hampered by disputes over voting rules and control of the interim government.