Daniel, an unusually strong Mediterranean storm, caused deadly flooding in communities across eastern Libya. Floodwaters gushed down Wadi Derna, a valley that cuts through the city, crashing through buildings and washing people out to sea. As the storm pounded the coast Sunday night (Sep 10, 2023) , two dams outside the city collapsed. The heartbreaking loss of over 6,000 lives, with 30,000 people displaced and over 10,000 reported missing, paints a grim picture of the scale of this catastrophe. While the full extent of the disaster is still emerging, it’s undeniably clear that Libya is facing a profound humanitarian crisis.

The harshest impact of the flooding has been felt in the southern and eastern regions, including the cities of Benghazi, Tobruk, and Sirte. However, the repercussions have reverberated throughout the entire nation.

Thousands of Libyan lives now hang in the balance, with urgent needs spanning from food and clean water to shelter and medical care. The flooding has not only disrupted lives but also rendered roads, bridges, and critical infrastructure impassable, further complicating the delivery of vital aid to those who need it most.