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Libya has faced a lot of hard times, but the recent storm, named Daniel, has brought a new challenge. In eastern Libya, this big storm brought heavy rain and floods, leaving many people lost or hurt. Now, everyone is trying to understand the full impact and help out.
On a recent Sunday night, the storm hit hard, causing dams to break and whole areas of the city of Derna to disappear under water. The numbers are shocking: around 1,500 people have been found, and many think that the total number of people who passed away might reach 5,000. Videos and photos on the internet show how bad it is: places where many people were buried, hospitals full of hurt people, and streets looking like rivers.
Libya has been facing a lot of problems for the past ten years. The country has two main groups that want to be in charge, and they're often fighting with each other. This has meant that many parts of the country, like roads and buildings, haven't been looked after properly. This made the damage from the storm even worse.
Still, after the storm, many people have come together to help. Even though the roads to Derna were damaged, people started arriving to help within a day and a half of the storm. Everywhere you look, you can see local helpers, volunteers, and everyday people doing their best to find those who are missing and help those who are hurt.
Many are wondering how this could have happened. Two big water barriers (dams) near Derna broke during the storm. Was this because they were old and not looked after? Or was it because the storm brought so much rain? Reports tell us that the storm dropped over 16 inches of rain. Experts, like a weather scientist named Karsten Haustein, think it might be a mix of both reasons.
After the storm, help started coming from other countries too. Teams from Egypt, Turkey, the United Arab Emirates, Germany, France, and Italy have come to Libya. The leader of the United States, President Joe Biden, said the US will send money to help and work with groups in Libya to give more help. He said, "Jill and I are very sad for all the families in Libya who lost someone because of the floods."
The storm affected other places in Libya too. The town of Bayda saw heavy rain, and about 50 people there were reported gone. Hospitals were filled with water, and people had to leave. Other towns were also hit hard by the storm.
Northeast Libya is known for its green areas. Places like Bayda get a lot of rain every year. But this storm was bigger and more damaging than usual.
This sad event shows two things: nature can sometimes surprise us in tough ways, but people can come together to help each other. Everyone's eyes are on Libya now, hoping and working for a better tomorrow.