Floods claim 2 lives in Libya, government declares a state of emergency
Floods struck Libya’s Sabha city and mountain valleys after heavy rainfall on September 14 and 15, 2024. Following the death of 2 individuals due to the floods, the government issued an order to form and emergency response team, and declared a state of emergency for the affected region.
Image credit: EUMETSAT/Meteosat, Zoom Earth, The Watchers. Acquired at 15:45 UTC on September 14, 2024
Heavy rain between September 14 and 15 led to severe flooding in Libya’s Sabha city and surrounding mountain valleys, resulting in two deaths caused by electrocution. In response, Abdul Hamid Dabaiba, head of the Libyan government, ordered the formation of an emergency team to manage the crisis.
Prime Minister Osama Hammad declared a state of emergency for the region, with the southwestern parts of the city being the worst affected by the rains on September 14. The flooding injured at least 40 people and caused significant damage, as floodwaters reached the city’s hospital and airport.
Reports on social media indicate that several houses collapsed due to the flooding.
The city also experienced a power outage following about two hours of heavy rain while on the night of September 15, Sabha International Airport suspended both international and domestic flights after parts of the airport were damaged by the intense downpour.
References:
1 Libya floods – DG Echo – September 17, 2024
2 حكومتا-ليبيا-تعلنان-الطوارئ-لمواجهة – Al Jazeera – September 16, 2024
I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.
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