Libyan city buries thousands in mass graves after flood
People look for survivors in Derna, Libya, Sept.13, 2023. (AP Photo/Yousef Murad)
The city of Derna has buried thousands of people in mass graves, Libyan officials say, as search teams scoured ruins left by devastating floods and the city’s mayor said that the death toll could triple.
The deluge swept away entire families on Sunday night and exposed vulnerabilities in the oil-rich country that has been mired in conflict since the 2011 uprising that toppled long-ruling dictator Moammar Gadhafi. Health officials have confirmed 5,500 deaths and say 9,000 people are still missing.
