The death toll in Libya is devastatingly high this year, as heavy flooding has wreaked havoc on the country’s infrastructure and resulted in the deaths of over 6000 people. In response, morgues are overwhelmed with bodies, struggling to cope with the influx of tragedies.
The heavy rains began earlier this month and since then the situation has rapidly deteriorated. Floods have caused massive destruction of homes, agricultural lands, and other infrastructure in many parts of the country. The death toll has risen to more than 6,000 people, while another 5,700 have been reported injured or missing. The majority of the fatalities are concentrated in the capital of Tripoli and in four other coastal states.
The flooding has had a dramatic impact on mortuaries across the country. In the city of Benghazi, the morgue has had to convert a small room to accept bodies after reaching capacity. In Misrata municipality, authorities declared a state of emergency and opened a new morgue to accept victims of the floods. The new morgue has been operating at maximum capacity and is unable to take any additional bodies.
The Red Crescent Society of Libya is working around the clock to assist the victims of the floods, but hampered by a lack of resources, the state of emergency has made it difficult for relief workers to reach more vulnerable areas. To help with the burden, the local government has asked for international aid and has urged citizens to donate blood and other resources to the victims.
The dire situation in Libya has deeply wounded the nation and touched the lives of thousands of people. With the already overwhelmed morgues, many of the victims are being buried in mass graves. This is a tragedy for those who are mourning the loss of their loved ones. The government of Libya has asked the international community for support as it works to recover from the natural disaster and rebuild the broken infrastructure and lives of the people affected by the floods.
