The Head of the U.N. Support Mission in Libya (UNSMIL), Abdoulaye Bathily, briefed the Security Council on the massive flash floods that hit Libya, noting that the thousands of lives lost by the dam bursts which destroyed whole neighbourhoods after Storm Daniel slammed the country on 10 September.
Bathily told ambassadors that despite the sense of national unity and compassion shown by ordinary Libyans, the disaster had revealed “severe governance deficits” across the divided nation.
“I saw first-hand the magnitude of the disaster and heard from families about their losses, including individuals who lost all their loved ones”, said Bathily. “I saw an apocalyptic scene where large portions of the city were literally swallowed up by the water,” he shared with the Council.
The UN, along with local and international partners, swiftly responded to the crisis, providing life-saving aid and leading search and rescue operations. The focus now is on early recovery and reconstruction.
Bathily highlighted that the Libyan National Army (LNA) “mobilized its structure and established an operational room to support the activities of the rescue teams”
However, he expressed concern over the clear divisions among Libya’s leaders regarding the reconstruction of Derna and the affected areas.
“Uncoordinated initiatives could lead to further disappointment for the citizens of Derna and all of Libya, who are hoping for a speedy recovery and efficient reconstruction of the affected areas,” cautioned Bathily.