The Libya floods in September 2023 were the deadliest floods in Africa since 1900, killing about 1,000 more people than the next-most disastrous floods in Algeria nearly 100 years ago.
Here’s what you need to know about the Libya floods.
1. Death toll from the Libya floods reached about 4,000
Although the number of deaths was initially uncertain, as is often the case amid and immediately after natural disasters, the United Nations’ World Health Organization said at least 3,958 people died as a result of the Libya floods. A government health minister said on Sept. 17 that 3,283 people had been buried so far, Al Jazeera reported.
2. The epicenter was home to about 100,000 people
Derna, the epicenter of flooding during Storm Daniel, was split in two after floodwaters swept entire neighborhoods, CNN reported. The city had a population of around 100,000 before the tragedy.
Collapsed dams submerged Derna, leading to widespread destruction as flooding swept away homes, vehicles and debris. This collapsed bridges, obliterated neighborhoods and, in turn, overwhelmed morgues, exacerbating the crisis.
3. Deadliest flooding in Africa in 100+ years
The Libya floods were also among the top 20 deadliest floods worldwide since 1900, CNN reported.
Earlier this year, nearly 3,000 people died in flooding in the Democratic Republic of the Congo. Before this year’s floods there and in Libya, the most deadly flooding in Africa’s modern history killed 3,000 people in Algeria in 1927.