The original content of Democracy Now! Headlines appears under the Creative
Commons BY-NC-ND 3.0 License (United States). For more, including their other
shows and media, visit www.democracynow.org.
September 14, 2023

Mayor of Flooded Libyan City Says Death Toll Could Rise to 20,000
-----------------------------------------------------------------

In Libya, the mayor of the eastern port city of Derna says up to 20,000
people have been killed by Sunday's catastrophic floods, which were
triggered by the collapse of two dams amid unprecedented rainfall.
Libyan officials say the true toll may never be known, after floodwaters
washed whole neighborhoods into the sea. On Tuesday Libya's prime
minister dismissed the need for international aid, though he said Libya
does need help locating the bodies of victims who were swept into the
Mediterranean. 

Prime Minister Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh: "We do not need aid, not even
medication or equipment, nor doctors or ambulances. Thanks to God we
have 400 ambulances that took off. But we have a problem in retrieving
the bodies from the sea." 

Rescue workers warned of the potential spread of disease and appealed
for more body bags. Many of Derna's flood victims are being buried in
mass graves. On Wednesday, U.N. human rights chief Volker Türk called on
Libya's two rival governments to set aside their differences in order to
coordinate relief efforts.

Volker Türk: "I call on all Libyan political actors to overcome
deadlocks and divisions and to act collectively in ensuring access to
relief. This is a time for unity of purpose. All those affected must
receive support without regard for any affiliations."



.