Do you remember the Libyan war in 2011? The war, in which Western countries intervened, led to the fall of the Qaddafi regime and plunged the once-wealthy North African country into long-term turmoil and division. Ten years on, the people of Libya have not enjoyed a peaceful and stable life, but have suffered another, more terrible disaster – the floods.
Just earlier this month, a rare storm, Daniel, swept through the east-central Mediterranean, bringing record rainfall to the eastern Libyan city of Derna. Heavy rainfall caused dams to burst, flash floods and the entire city being submerged. So far, more than 5,000 people have been killed, tens of thousands have disappeared, and tens of thousands have been displaced. It was the worst natural disaster in Libya's history and one of the worst floods in recent years.
Climate change exacerbates extreme weather events
The flood did not happen by chance, but is closely related to global climate change. According to a new report released this year by the United Nations Scientific Advisory Panel on Climate Change, global warming has led to an increase in the amount of water vapor in the air, increasing the frequency and intensity of extreme rainfall events. At the same time, rising sea surface temperatures increase the power of Mediterranean hurricanes, a hybrid phenomenon that combines tropical cyclone and hurricane characteristics, occurring only 1 to 3 times a year.
Storm Daniel is a typical Mediterranean hurricane. It formed near Greece around September 4 and then moved towards Libya, reaching its peak on September 10. At that time, the city of Derna experienced strong winds and thunderstorms and fell 414.1 mm of rain in 24 hours, more than double the average annual rainfall in the region. Such rainfall is unprecedented in Libya and exceeds the capacity of local drainage systems and flood control facilities.
Second, political instability weakens the ability to respond to disasters
The floods are also directly linked to Libya's long-standing political turmoil. Libya has been divided and conflicted since the overthrow of the Gaddafi regime in 2011. Currently, the country is divided into two major political forces: on the one hand, the Government of National Unity (GNA), supported by the United Nations and internationally recognized, controls the western region, including the capital Tripoli; On the other side is the National Assembly (HoR), allied with the "National Army" (LNA) led by General Haftar, which controls the eastern and central regions, including the hardest-hit city of Derna.
As a result of confrontation and mistrust between the two political forces, Libya's state institutions and public services have been severely damaged and weakened. Prior to the floods, Libya's National Meteorological Centre had issued disaster warnings and notified all government departments via email and the media, but these warnings had not been responded to in a timely and effective manner.
Infrastructure in affected areas, such as dams, roads, bridges, communications, etc., lacks maintenance and updates to withstand flooding. Relief operations were also disrupted and hampered by armed groups and prevented timely access to the affected areas.
Thirdly, the international community provides emergency assistance
The floods have also aroused the attention and sympathy of the international community. Many countries and international organizations have provided emergency assistance to Libya, including relief supplies, technicians, medical teams, etc. At present, relief supplies from the United Arab Emirates, Egypt, Turkey, Algeria and other countries have arrived in Libya. The UN team in Libya is also mobilizing resources and emergency response teams on the ground to provide emergency humanitarian assistance to the affected population. At the same time, UN Secretary-General António Guterres also called on all parties in Libya to exercise restraint and unity to avoid political differences escalating into armed conflict.
Epilogue:
The floods in Libya are a human and natural tragedy, as well as a political and social crisis. It exposes Libya's weaknesses in addressing climate change and maintaining national stability, and demonstrates the conscience and responsibility of the international community in responding to humanitarian disasters. We hope that Libya will emerge from this catastrophe as soon as possible, achieve national elections and political transition, and restore peace and development. We also hope that countries around the world can strengthen cooperation and actions to jointly address the challenges brought by climate change and protect our common planet.