Washington, D.C. Newsroom, Sep 12, 2023 / 09:35 am
Catastrophic flooding in Libya resulted in what officials estimated was up to 10,000 deaths there in the wake of multiple dam failures amid torrential downpours.
The Vatican, meanwhile, said in a telegram that Pope Francis was “deeply saddened” by the national tragedy, offering prayers to the country as it works to address the disaster and rescue those still affected by it.
The state-controlled Libyan News Agency said on Monday that “dangerous weather conditions and torrential rains” persisted after widespread flooding swept over the eastern region of the country.
The disaster came after Cyclone Daniel, a storm that formed in the Mediterranean Sea, moved over the eastern portions of the North African country. Authorities said several dams broke, inundating nearby towns including the coastal city of Derna, which had reportedly confirmed more than 2,000 deaths by Tuesday morning.