Nearly three months have passed since two dams on Libya’s Wadi Derna river collapsed during Storm Daniel. On Sept. 11, rampaging floodwaters engulfed the coastal city of Derna, washing thousands of people out to sea.
As of Nov. 14, the death toll stands at 4,352 and more than 8,000 people are missing, according to the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or UNOCHA. A further 44,800 are internally displaced. These people still face myriad problems, including a lack of basic needs such as shelter and clean water. There have been nearly 10,000 cases of diarrhea. Psychological distress among children is highly reported.
But the world has long since moved on, especially with war raging in Gaza. And even though we’re in the midst of the United Nations Climate Change Conference — and these types of floods are a classic sign of the increasing ferocity of storms due to a warming planet — Libya is now just one of many climate change-exacerbated disasters that barely receive fleeting mentions.
About the author
Gabriella Jóźwiak@GabriellaJ
Gabriella Jóźwiak is an award-winning journalist based in London. Her work on issues and policies affecting children and young people in developing countries and the U.K. has been published in national newspapers and magazines. Having worked in-house for domestic and international development charities, Jóźwiak has a keen interest in organizational development, and has worked as a journalist in several countries across West Africa and South America.
