On September 10, 2023, the Daniel storm hit the east of Libya, causing two dams near the city of Derna to fail. Over two nights, an estimated 120 million cubic meters of water were released through Wadi Derna, rushing a distance of 12 kilometres toward the sea. This torrent carried thousands of tons of construction waste, animal, and petroleum waste. Roads were destroyed, power lines were cut, residents were evacuated, and the sewage system was destroyed. It has been the deadliest Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone in recorded history, as well as the costliest tropical cyclone on record outside of the North Atlantic Ocean.
Two organizations, beneficiaries of the PPI OSCAN3, the Libyan Wildlife Trust, and Edama for Nature Conservation, visited the affected cities to evaluate the damages and provide support. They received the permission to enter the zone two days after the floods, thanks to support from Al-Hayat Organization for the Protection of Marine and Wildlife organisms. They had to drive through the devastated area and paths obstructed by many obstacles. The team members had to face the impacts of the storm; the vegetation and soil were ravaged, many residents were isolated, and several water supply sources were destroyed. Surviving livestock were also injured or starving.
As a result, the three organizations took immediate measures to help the victims. They established an emergency room and launched a fundraising campaign for humanitarian and environmental aid. They issued a statement of distress, calling for national and international intervention to assess damages and provide solutions.
These three Libyan organisations are beneficiaries of the PPI OSCAN 3 program, coordinated by the Mediterranean Cooperation Centre of IUCN and co-financed by the French Global Environment Facility, the Mava Foundation and the Sigrid Rausing Trust Foundation. To know more about the 27 PPI OSCAN 3 projects in Libya, Morocco and Tunisia: 5.Projets – MUBADARAT (mubadarat-uicn.org)
