The government emergency team in Tripoli announced that the missing persons search authority has conducted 360 DNA tests on the bodies of the victims of the cyclone in Derna. The team stated in a statement today, Sunday, that "the exact numbers of the dead and missing will be known in the coming days," indicating that "there is very significant destruction in Derna affecting over 5,500 homes and buildings." Cyclone Daniel turned the Al-Muhayli Desert in Libya into a sea. Even the ancient pools, which contained rivers and lakes 6,000 years ago, are filled with water.
The government emergency team confirmed that the state of emergency will continue in the affected areas for a full year. A spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent denied today that the death toll from the floods that hit the city of Derna in eastern Libya has reached 11,300. Spokesman Tawfiq Shukri stated, "We are honestly surprised to see our name mentioned in such statistics when we have not declared these numbers," considering them to be "confusing to the situation, especially for the families of the missing."
The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs reported that the death toll from the floods has risen to 11,300 dead and 10,100 missing, attributing these numbers to the Libyan Red Crescent.
The Romanian Ministry of Defense announced the dispatch of its first aid-loaded plane to Libya on Saturday evening. A Romanian Air Force C-130 Hercules aircraft headed to Benghazi carrying an initial batch of supplies. The Romanian Air Force plans to conduct six flights to transport 55 tons of aid to Libya, including food, tents, and other essential supplies. It is noteworthy that the Mediterranean cyclone "Daniel" struck several regions in eastern Libya last Sunday, mainly affecting the cities of Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, as well as Soussa and Derna, causing the collapse of two dams in Derna, which swept parts of the city along with its buildings and infrastructure.
