Derna and its surrounding regions faced catastrophic flooding after the passage of Daniel, with more than 2,000 people reported dead and about 1,200 missing. Officials from the eastern parallel government described the storm’s impact as devastating, especially in Derna city where the hardest hit residents endured extreme losses.
The designated authorities stressed that the scale of the disaster in Derna is severe. They warned that thousands of lives have been affected and that entire neighborhoods were overwhelmed as floodwaters swept through the area, erasing streets, homes, and community anchors in an instant.
Meteorological data showed rainfall rates exceeding 400 milliliters per hour, a figure not recorded in four decades according to the National Center for Meteorology. This extreme rainfall compounded the disaster, triggering rapid river overflows and the sudden collapse of infrastructure across coastal districts.
Ahmed Amdur, a Derna municipal council member, issued an urgent call for international intervention to assist in saving the city and stabilizing the situation for residents who remain stranded or displaced. The disruption to land routes prompted officials to demand the opening of sea corridors to facilitate aid delivery and evacuations.
Abdulhamid Debiba, prime minister of the Government of National Unity, reported that the state would compensate those affected by the flood and declared three days of mourning in memory of the victims. He outlined emergency measures, including the deployment of fifty ambulances, a team of seventy-five doctors and nurses, and a mobilized convoy to support rural hospitals in Derna.
Muhammed Ismail, president of Tripoli General Services Company, confirmed that fifty-three trucks and ten heavy machines had been dispatched to bolster rescue and relief operations. In parallel, the United Nations Mission in Libya voiced its close monitoring of the emergency situation and expressed readiness to provide support to those impacted by the floods.
As the situation unfolded, the cyclone Daniel, after sweeping through Greece and Turkey, was downgraded to a subtropical storm on September 9. Forecasts indicated that the system would weaken as it moves toward the Maghreb region, with potential impacts extending toward neighboring Egypt, according to the Arab Regional Meteorological Centre.
The broader humanitarian response is focusing on rapid shelter, medical care, and the restoration of essential services. Local authorities are coordinating with international partners to deliver food, clean water, and medical supplies while seeking safe corridors for the evacuation of vulnerable populations. Community leaders emphasized the need for sustained support to rebuild Derna’s housing, sanitation, and public infrastructure that were damaged or destroyed by the surge and floods.
The emergency underscores the vulnerability of coastal cities to extreme weather events and the importance of resilient infrastructure, early warning systems, and rapid, coordinated relief efforts. International observers and regional agencies are watching closely, ready to scale up assistance as assessments continue and more data becomes available on casualties, missing persons, and the needs of displaced families.