The dead from Storm Daniel, which rocked Derna, Libya, earlier this week, reached above 6,000 on Wednesday, prompting authorities to bury victims in collective graves.
As many as 10,000 people are also missing, Libyan and Egyptian officials said.
The Wall Street Journal reported that authorities are struggling to identify bodies piling up on the street after floodwaters overwhelmed two nearby dams, which led to entire buildings washing away into the Mediterranean.
It's caused unrelenting chaos in the area, leading to local officials ordering survivors to move to neighboring cities and towns like Bayda. Over 300 families reached there after the order was issued.
"I do think this is collective trauma for Libyans. It's very difficult to come back from this," Hanan Salah, a senior Libya researcher at Human Rights Watch, informed The Journal.
The incident is causing fears from neighboring Egypt of an imminent migrant crisis spurred by the storm's devastation. In response, delegates from Cairo were sent over to coordinate a sufficient joint response.
It comes as the Libyan Civil War, which was mounted by the death of former Leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011, has already taken a great toll on infrastructure in Derna and the surrounding area.
The city was under siege by rival factions for nearly three years — August 2016 to February 2019 — just a short time ago. However, citizens are still pointing fingers at authorities for failing to rebuild in its aftermath sufficiently.
"Anger is mounting. Once things settle down, I think there will be a reckoning as far as officials are concerned in Libya," said Mohamed Eljarh, a Libya-based consultant. "It's very likely that this will be a breaking point for many in Libya."
Still, humanitarian aid from abroad is beginning to trickle in. According to The Journal, Turkey, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates, and Qatar plan to send rescue teams.
The European Union and independent European countries have also pledged to send over $500,000 in essential equipment, including tents, field beds, generators, food, and water.
Luca Cacciatore ✉
Luca Cacciatore, a Newsmax general assignment writer, is based in Arlington, Virginia, reporting on news and politics.
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