Libya: essential services remain sparse in flood-ravaged Derna

One year after catastrophic floods swept through Derna in eastern Libya, essential services remain scarce despite ongoing reconstruction efforts, NGOs say according to AFP. In September 2023, extreme rainfall caused two dams to burst inland from Derna, killing nearly 4,000 people and leaving thousands missing or displaced.

Libya remains divided between an internationally recognized government based in Tripoli and a rival administration in the east backed by military strongman Khalifa Haftar. Last week an eastern official said 3,500 homes have been rebuilt and maintenance carried out on schools and power grids.

But on Tuesday, the International Rescue Committee said in a joint statement with other relief groups, that the flooding "has left critical gaps in essential services" even a year later. It said displaced families live in precarious conditions, facing shortages of medicine and sanitation supplies. Many people still lack access to clean water. Mental health issues like trauma and anxiety remain widespread, particularly among children, it added.