More than 3,958 people lost their lives in the ‘catastrophic’ floods in the African country of Libya on September 10. Cyclone Daniel in the Mediterranean caused two dams to break, causing severe flooding in the city of Derna. On Monday, the United Nations Coordination Agency for Humanitarian Affairs warned that two more dams in Libya could collapse. However, in its contradictory statement, the UN agency said that this will not happen immediately, but if it is not properly maintained, similar disasters may occur in the future. On the other hand, the UN said in another statement that the devastation caused by the floods could also cause an ‘epidemic’ of waterborne diseases in Libya.
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On Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned of another ‘catastrophic’ flood disaster in Libya. However, his warning was quite contradictory. (Photo-AP)
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The UN agency was referring to two other dams in Libya, Jaja and Qatra. But he has given vague statements about these two dams. First he said that both these dams are a threat, but further he said that they are running smoothly. (Photo-AP)
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Jaja Dam is located between the flood-affected city of Derna and the city of Benghazi. At the same time, Qatar Dam is located near the city of Benghazi. OCHA officials said pumps are being installed to depressurize Jaja Dam and ensure its smooth functioning. (Photo-AP)
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It is known that on September 10, due to the failure of a dam, there was a terrible flood in Libya. But Derna was the most affected city. The UN initially said 11,000 people had died in the disaster, but new figures on Monday put the death toll at 3,958. (Photo-AP)
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On Monday, the United Nations and aid groups warned people in Derna and other flood-prone areas of eastern Libya are at risk of serious diseases such as cholera, diarrhea and dehydration from contaminated water. (Photo-AP)
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Abdelwanis Ashour, a professor of civil engineering, in his paper in the University Journal of Pure and Applied last year, warned the government and relevant authorities about the danger of these dams. (Photo-AP)
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The IRC said it has already reported at least 55 cases of sick children in the eastern city of Derna who fell ill after drinking contaminated water. The IRC’s Libya director, Elie Aboune, said the situation in Derna and other flood-affected areas was “horrendous”, adding that efforts were underway to provide people with clean water as a basic human right. (Photo-AP)