Presenting recent devastating floods in derna city of libya and role of political unrest on its catastrophic impact

1. VIEWS ON NEWS
IS THERE A ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY IN
LIBYA ON THE EXTENT OF CATASTROPHIC
DISASTER AS FLOODING SWEEPS LIYBA

2. PICTURIAL VIEW OF DAMS

3.  Derna has been a centre of
resistance to successive Libyan regimes
 In 2011, the Libyan government
described Derna as a “hotbed of Islamic
fundamentalism”
 In the vacuum left by Gaddafi’s
overthrow, Derna became a centre for
jihadis
 2015-2018 city was besieged by Libya’s
eastern warlord Khalifa Haftar and his
Libyan National Army (LNA)
INTRODUCTION

4.  The Wadi Derna had a history of
flooding, experiencing four major
floods between 1942 and 1986
 The collapse of the Derna dam
led to waters rushing towards
the sea and overwhelming the
Mansur dam
 Representatives of the Red
Cross said that the dams' failure
produced waves with a height of
seven meters
INTRODUCTION

5.  A century ago, the coastal city of Derna was well known for
picture-perfect beaches, palm trees and whitewashed villas
 The Wadi Derna had a history of flooding, experiencing four
major floods between 1942 and 1986
 The dams were constructed in the 1970s by a Yugoslav
company to control flooding, irrigate agricultural lands, and
provide water to nearby communities
 Derna, is 75 metres in height and has a capacity of 18 million cubic
meters of water
 Mansour is 45 metres and holds 1.5 million cubic metres
HISTORY OF WADI DERNA DAMS

6.  The collapse led to waters rushing towards the sea and
overwhelming the Mansur dam, releasing approximately 30
million cubic meters of water, overflowed its banks by 50 meters
on each side
 The city was built put most of the population in the water’s direct
path. Representatives of the Red Cross said that the dams' failure
produced waves with a height of seven meters
 Despite allocation of funds, the dams had not been maintained
since 2002 and the infrastructure was not built to withstand the
effects of this disaster
HISTORY OF WADI DERNA DAMS

7.  The city has suffered from decades of
neglect and much of its infrastructure
dates back to Italian occupation of the
country in the early 20th century
 According to a research
paper published in Nov, 22, both dams
were at risk of collapse
 In the immediate after the disaster,
Derna’s deputy mayor admitted the
dams had not been maintained since
2002
ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY

8.  Lack of Governance and Coordination: Political instability often
leads to a lack of effective governance and coordination at both the
national and local levels. In such a situation, government agencies
may struggle to respond promptly and efficiently to flood events,
leading to delays in disaster management efforts
 Inadequate Infrastructure and Preparedness: Political instability
can hinder the development of critical infrastructure such as
drainage systems, flood control measures, and early warning
systems. Without these essential resources and preparedness
measures, the country is more vulnerable to flooding
ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY

9.  Weakened Response Capacity: Political instability can result in
a poorly equipped and underfunded public sector, including
disaster response agencies. This can limit the government's
ability to mobilize resources and personnel to respond effectively
to flood disasters.
 Displacement and Vulnerability: Political instability often leads
to internal displacement and a lack of social services, making a
significant portion of the population more vulnerable to disasters.
Displaced individuals and communities may lack the resources
and support to prepare for, respond to, or recover from floods
ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY

10.  Resource Allocation Challenges: During times of political
instability, resources may be diverted away from disaster
preparedness and response efforts to address immediate political
or security concerns. This can leave disaster management
agencies underfunded and ill-equipped
 International Assistance: Political instability can also affect the
willingness and capacity of the international community to
provide humanitarian and financial assistance in the wake of a
flood disaster. Donor countries and organizations may be
hesitant to provide aid in uncertain political environments.
ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY

11.  Interference with Relief Efforts: Political instability can lead to
insecurity and conflict, which may disrupt relief and recovery
efforts. Humanitarian organizations and aid workers may face
challenges in delivering assistance to affected areas
 Corruption and Mismanagement: In politically unstable
environments, corruption and mismanagement of resources are
more likely to occur. This can lead to the misallocation of funds
intended for disaster preparedness and response, reducing the
effectiveness of these efforts.
ROLE OF POLITICAL INSTABILITY

12.  In a recent World Weather report, climate
scientists have revealed that human-
induced climate change amplified the
ferocity of the devastating, resulting in
thousands of casualties
 Their findings indicate that climate change
made a storm of this magnitude up to 50
times more likely and contributed to a 50%
increase in rainfall
 Talking in the light of international reports
“What happened in Derna should be a
wake up call for the world on the
increasing risk of catastrophic floods in a
world changed by climate change.”
CLIMATE CHANGES

13.  The torrential rain brought by Storm Daniel
was exacerbated by human-caused
greenhouse gas emissions, leading to
catastrophic flooding
 Climate change had made this storm up to 10
times more probable and had intensified the
rainfall by up to 40%
 The prolonged presence of Storm Daniel
over the Mediterranean allowed it to absorb
additional energy from sea temperatures that
were 2-3 degrees above the September
average.
 This extra warmth fueled stronger winds and
increased the air’s moisture-holding capacity.
CLIMATE CHANGES

14.  When Storm Daniel made landfall on
the northern coast of Libya, it
unleashed approximately 400 mm of
rainfall within just 24 hours
 The average rainfall for September in
the city is a mere 1.5 mm, as reported
by Nasa’s Earth Observatory
 The catastrophic impact of this extreme
weather event underscores the perilous
combination of intense weather and
vulnerable populations, particularly in
conflict-ridden regions
CLIMATE CHANGES

15.  The scientists are confident
that climate change played a
substantial role in this
catastrophe
 There is strong evidence
linking higher temperatures
to heavier rainfall, climate
change intensifies the impact
of severe weather events
like Storm Daniel
CLIMATE CHANGES

16. PICTORIAL AFTER FLOOD

17. PICTORIAL AFTER FLOOD

18. PICTORIAL AFTER FLOOD

19.  Dams have not been maintained for more than two
decades and the infrastructure was not built to
withstand the effects devastating floods
 The widespread destruction will be also difficult to
repair in the midst of the country’s political instability.
 Many buildings are clustered in narrow streets very
close to where the water was running and were not
built well. When the river overflowed its banks, then it
just took all the buildings with it, and the families that
were in it
CONCLUSION

20.  The scale of the disaster was attributed to decades
of neglect of the region, political instability, and the
lack of maintenance of the dams.
 It was also highlighted that urgent need to address
climate change, adapt infrastructure to future
climate conditions, and improve emergency
management and communication in vulnerable
regions to mitigate the growing risk of extreme
weather-related disasters
CONCLUSION

21.  In summary, political instability in Libya can
undermine the country's ability to effectively
manage and respond to flood disasters.
 It weakens governance, hinders infrastructure
development, and reduces the overall resilience of
the population.
 Addressing political instability is essential to
improving the country's capacity to mitigate and
respond to natural disasters like floods.
CONCLUSION