Emergency workers found more than 1,500 bodies in the wreckage of Libya’s eastern city of Derna on Tuesday, and it was feared the toll could spiral, with 10,000 people still reported missing after floodwaters smashed through dams and washed away entire neighbourhoods.
The death toll in Derna alone has exceeded 5,300, the state-run news agency quoted Mohammed Abu-Lamousha, a spokesman for the east Libya interior ministry, as saying on Tuesday.
Derna’s ambulance authority earlier put the toll at 2,300.
Storm Daniel caused havoc and flash floods in many towns in eastern Libya, with the worst damage in the city of Derna, where dams were destroyed and floodwaters washed away entire neighbourhoods, authorities said.
Speaking from Tunisia, Tamer Ramadan, Libya chief for the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, told a UN briefing on Tuesday that the death toll was “huge” and he expected it to rise sharply in the coming days.
He said the IFRC could launch an appeal for emergency funding to support flood victims in the country. Three Red Crescent volunteers died while helping flood victims, the IFRC confirmed.
The death toll is huge and might reach thousands
Tamer Ramadan,
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
About 7,000 were injured by the force of floodwaters that rushed down a normally dry river valley, said Osama Ali, a spokesman for the Tripoli-based emergency services, which has had a team in the city since Monday.
“The challenges are ranging between access to basic health facilities for health services, shelter and shelter management, food and non-food items,” Mr Ramadan said.
Osama Hamad, who leads the government in eastern Libya, said many of those missing were believed to have been carried away in floodwaters after two dams burst.
After more than a decade of chaos, Libya remains divided between two rival governments, one in the east and one in the west. The conflict has left the country with crumbling and inadequate infrastructure.
More bodies are under rubble in the city or have been washed away to the sea, said Othman Abduljaleel, Health Minister in the eastern government.
Derna residents posted videos online showing the destruction caused by the floods. Residential blocks were washed away along Wadi Derna, a river that runs from the mountains and down through the city centre.
Mr Abduljaleel said routes into the city were blocked and there were bodies scattered across the area, Libya’s state-run news agency reported.
“The situation was more significant and worse than we expected. An international intervention is needed,” he was quoted as saying.
Emergency teams, including soldiers, government staff, volunteers and residents, have been digging through the rubble to recover the dead.
Inflatable boats have also been used to retrieve bodies from the water. Excavators and other equipment have not yet arrived in Derna.
Residents have described scenes of chaos as floods hit the city.
The collapse of nearby dams sent a wall of water that “erased everything in its way”, said Ahmed Abdalla.
More than 200 bodies were buried in one cemetery on Monday, rescue workers said. Footage has been released that shows dozens of bodies covered by blankets or sheets outside a hospital in Derna.
The storm hit other areas in eastern Libya, including the town of Al Bayda, where about 50 people are reported dead. The main hospital was flooded and patients were evacuated, according to footage shared by the hospital on Facebook.
The towns of Susa, Al Marj and Shahat were also hit, the government said. Hundreds of families were displaced and took shelter in schools and government buildings in the cities including Benghazi.
North-east Libya is one of the country’s most fertile and green regions. The Jabal Al Akhdar area – which includes Al Bayda, Al Marj and Shahat – is among the region's of the country with the highest average annual rainfall, the World Bank said.
Authorities in eastern and western Libya have launched efforts to help Derna residents.
The Health Ministry in Tripoli said a plane carrying 14 tonnes of medical equipment, medicine and body bags, along with healthcare workers, was sent to Benghazi on Tuesday. Other agencies have also pledged aid to Derna.
Foreign governments have sent messages of support to Libya, as well as pledging aid.
One of Libya's rival prime ministers, Abdul Hamid Dbeibeh, in a press conference on Tuesday said his country was assessing international aid offers to see what is necessary and to ensure co-ordination in rescue efforts
On Tuesday, US President Joe Biden said Washington would be sending aid, as he sent his and first lady Jill Biden's condolences to the country.
“Jill and I send our deepest condolences to all the families who have lost loved ones in the devastating floods in Libya,” he said.
“In this difficult hour, the United States is sending emergency funds to relief organisations and co-ordinating with the Libyan authorities and the UN to provide additional support.”
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Who's who in Yemen conflict
Houthis: Iran-backed rebels who occupy Sanaa and run unrecognised government
Yemeni government: Exiled government in Aden led by eight-member Presidential Leadership Council
Southern Transitional Council: Faction in Yemeni government that seeks autonomy for the south
Habrish 'rebels': Tribal-backed forces feuding with STC over control of oil in government territory
Winners
Best Men's Player of the Year: Kylian Mbappe (PSG)
Maradona Award for Best Goal Scorer of the Year: Robert Lewandowski (Bayern Munich)
TikTok Fans’ Player of the Year: Robert Lewandowski
Top Goal Scorer of All Time: Cristiano Ronaldo (Manchester United)
Best Women's Player of the Year: Alexia Putellas (Barcelona)
Best Men's Club of the Year: Chelsea
Best Women's Club of the Year: Barcelona
Best Defender of the Year: Leonardo Bonucci (Juventus/Italy)
Best Goalkeeper of the Year: Gianluigi Donnarumma (PSG/Italy)
Best Coach of the Year: Roberto Mancini (Italy)
Best National Team of the Year: Italy
Best Agent of the Year: Federico Pastorello
Best Sporting Director of the Year: Txiki Begiristain (Manchester City)
Player Career Award: Ronaldinho
Our legal columnist
Name: Yousef Al Bahar
Advocate at Al Bahar & Associate Advocates and Legal Consultants, established in 1994
Education: Mr Al Bahar was born in 1979 and graduated in 2008 from the Judicial Institute. He took after his father, who was one of the first Emirati lawyers
UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
Navdeep Suri, India's Ambassador to the UAE
There has been a longstanding need from the Indian community to have a religious premises where they can practise their beliefs. Currently there is a very, very small temple in Bur Dubai and the community has outgrown this. So this will be a major temple and open to all denominations and a place should reflect India’s diversity.
It fits so well into the UAE’s own commitment to tolerance and pluralism and coming in the year of tolerance gives it that extra dimension.
What we will see on April 20 is the foundation ceremony and we expect a pretty broad cross section of the Indian community to be present, both from the UAE and abroad. The Hindu group that is building the temple will have their holiest leader attending – and we expect very senior representation from the leadership of the UAE.
When the designs were taken to the leadership, there were two clear options. There was a New Jersey model with a rectangular structure with the temple recessed inside so it was not too visible from the outside and another was the Neasden temple in London with the spires in its classical shape. And they said: look we said we wanted a temple so it should look like a temple. So this should be a classical style temple in all its glory.
It is beautifully located - 30 minutes outside of Abu Dhabi and barely 45 minutes to Dubai so it serves the needs of both communities.
This is going to be the big temple where I expect people to come from across the country at major festivals and occasions.
It is hugely important – it will take a couple of years to complete given the scale. It is going to be remarkable and will contribute something not just to the landscape in terms of visual architecture but also to the ethos. Here will be a real representation of UAE’s pluralism.
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SECRET%20INVASION
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What is blockchain?
Blockchain is a form of distributed ledger technology, a digital system in which data is recorded across multiple places at the same time. Unlike traditional databases, DLTs have no central administrator or centralised data storage. They are transparent because the data is visible and, because they are automatically replicated and impossible to be tampered with, they are secure.
The main difference between blockchain and other forms of DLT is the way data is stored as ‘blocks’ – new transactions are added to the existing ‘chain’ of past transactions, hence the name ‘blockchain’. It is impossible to delete or modify information on the chain due to the replication of blocks across various locations.
Blockchain is mostly associated with cryptocurrency Bitcoin. Due to the inability to tamper with transactions, advocates say this makes the currency more secure and safer than traditional systems. It is maintained by a network of people referred to as ‘miners’, who receive rewards for solving complex mathematical equations that enable transactions to go through.
However, one of the major problems that has come to light has been the presence of illicit material buried in the Bitcoin blockchain, linking it to the dark web.
Other blockchain platforms can offer things like smart contracts, which are automatically implemented when specific conditions from all interested parties are reached, cutting the time involved and the risk of mistakes. Another use could be storing medical records, as patients can be confident their information cannot be changed. The technology can also be used in supply chains, voting and has the potential to used for storing property records.
Election pledges on migration
CDU: "Now is the time to control the German borders and enforce strict border rejections"
SPD: "Border closures and blanket rejections at internal borders contradict the spirit of a common area of freedom"
What vitamins do we know are beneficial for living in the UAE
Vitamin D: Highly relevant in the UAE due to limited sun exposure; supports bone health, immunity and mood.
Vitamin B12: Important for nerve health and energy production, especially for vegetarians, vegans and individuals with absorption issues.
Iron: Useful only when deficiency or anaemia is confirmed; helps reduce fatigue and support immunity.
Omega-3 (EPA/DHA): Supports heart health and reduces inflammation, especially for those who consume little fish.
COMPANY%20PROFILE
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EA Sports FC 26
Publisher: EA Sports
Consoles: PC, PlayStation 4/5, Xbox Series X/S
Rating: 3/5
ILT20%20UAE%20stars
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Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
- Visibility: Hazy skies but less intense
- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
COMPANY PROFILE
Name: Xpanceo
Started: 2018
Founders: Roman Axelrod, Valentyn Volkov
Based: Dubai, UAE
Industry: Smart contact lenses, augmented/virtual reality
Funding: $40 million
Investor: Opportunity Venture (Asia)
Our legal consultant
Name: Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants
The specs
Engine: 2.7-litre 4-cylinder Turbomax
Power: 310hp
Torque: 583Nm
Transmission: 8-speed automatic
Price: From Dh192,500
On sale: Now
Sole survivors
- Cecelia Crocker was on board Northwest Airlines Flight 255 in 1987 when it crashed in Detroit, killing 154 people, including her parents and brother. The plane had hit a light pole on take off
- George Lamson Jr, from Minnesota, was on a Galaxy Airlines flight that crashed in Reno in 1985, killing 68 people. His entire seat was launched out of the plane
- Bahia Bakari, then 12, survived when a Yemenia Airways flight crashed near the Comoros in 2009, killing 152. She was found clinging to wreckage after floating in the ocean for 13 hours.
- Jim Polehinke was the co-pilot and sole survivor of a 2006 Comair flight that crashed in Lexington, Kentucky, killing 49.
Global state-owned investor ranking by size
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Norway
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Canada
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The President's Cake
Director: Hasan Hadi
Starring: Baneen Ahmad Nayyef, Waheed Thabet Khreibat, Sajad Mohamad Qasem
Rating: 4/5
MATCH INFO
Confederations Cup Group B
Germany v Chile
Kick-off: Thursday, 10pm (UAE)
Where: Kazan Arena, Kazan
Watch live: Abu Dhabi Sports HD
The alternatives
• Founded in 2014, Telr is a payment aggregator and gateway with an office in Silicon Oasis. It’s e-commerce entry plan costs Dh349 monthly (plus VAT). QR codes direct customers to an online payment page and merchants can generate payments through messaging apps.
• Business Bay’s Pallapay claims 40,000-plus active merchants who can invoice customers and receive payment by card. Fees range from 1.99 per cent plus Dh1 per transaction depending on payment method and location, such as online or via UAE mobile.
• Tap started in May 2013 in Kuwait, allowing Middle East businesses to bill, accept, receive and make payments online “easier, faster and smoother” via goSell and goCollect. It supports more than 10,000 merchants. Monthly fees range from US$65-100, plus card charges of 2.75-3.75 per cent and Dh1.2 per sale.
• 2checkout’s “all-in-one payment gateway and merchant account” accepts payments in 200-plus markets for 2.4-3.9 per cent, plus a Dh1.2-Dh1.8 currency conversion charge. The US provider processes online shop and mobile transactions and has 17,000-plus active digital commerce users.
• PayPal is probably the best-known online goods payment method - usually used for eBay purchases - but can be used to receive funds, providing everyone’s signed up. Costs from 2.9 per cent plus Dh1.2 per transaction.
COMPANY PROFILE
Founders: Alhaan Ahmed, Alyina Ahmed and Maximo Tettamanzi
Total funding: Self funded
Match info
Uefa Champions League Group H
Juventus v Valencia, Tuesday, midnight (UAE)
SPECS
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More from Neighbourhood Watch:
Selected fixtures
All times UAE
Wednesday
Poland v Portugal 10.45pm
Russia v Sweden 10.45pm
Friday
Belgium v Switzerland 10.45pm
Croatia v England 10.45pm
Saturday
Netherlands v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Denmark 10.45pm
Sunday
Poland v Italy 10.45pm
Monday
Spain v England 10.45pm
Tuesday
France v Germany 10.45pm
Rep of Ireland v Wales 10.45pm
Persuasion
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