Flood: Tension In Libya As UN Says Two More Dams May Break Loose

A report by the United Nations (UN) on Sunday has raised more tension in Libya after it claimed that two more water dams may break loose in the country.

As of yesterday, a report by CNN said that the death toll in Libya’s flooding has hit 11,300 as rescuers search for no fewer than 10,000 missing persons.

Residents and rescue mission groups had continued to gather the bodies of those who were washed out to sea when the disturbing historic rain caused dams to burst and sent millions of cubic meters of floodwater through the centre of Derna.

However, while residents are still living in fear in the North African country, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) revealed in a report on Sunday that two more dams, which were reportedly dealing with massive amounts of pressure, may break loose.

The dams in question are the Jaza Dam – between the partly destroyed city of Darna and Benghazi – and the Qattara Dam near Benghazi, the OCHA said.

The UN agency’s report, however, contradicts the country’s authority report, which claimed that both dams were in good condition and functioning.

Pumps were being installed at the Jaza Dam to relieve pressure, the OCHA cited authorities as saying.

It was reported earlier that Derna was badly hit after the severe storm a week ago, mainly due to the breach of two dams.

Over a hundred people were reportedly killed when the flooding event started. Subsequent reports, however, have confirmed that the event has killed thousands of people, and thousands more are still missing.

Though the authorities do not yet have exact figures, the city had about 100,000 inhabitants before the disaster.

This news platform understands that concerns are growing in Libya about water safety in Derna.