VIDEO: Death Toll from Flooding in Libya Could Reach 20,000

The death toll from flooding in the eastern Libyan city of Derna could reach 18,000 to 20,000, as stated by the city's mayor, Abdelmanam al-Ghaithi, during a broadcast on Al-Arabiya.

“We expect a very high number of deaths, it could reach 18,000 to 20,000,” said the mayor of Derna.

A representative of the Red Crescent had previously informed RIA Novosti that more than 9,000 people are missing in the city. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), at least 30,000 people have been forced to leave their homes in Derna.

As reported earlier, due to heavy rains caused by Cyclone Daniel on September 10, flooding has occurred in several towns in eastern Libya, including Al-Bayda and Derna. Airports and maritime ports in the region have been closed due to the torrential rains. The towns of Sus and Derna in eastern Libya have been declared natural disaster zones. A curfew has been imposed in the affected areas.