Thousands in Libya laid in mass graves

Mass destruction after floods hit Derna

The city of Derna has buried thousands of people in mass graves, Libyan officials said on Thursday, as search teams scoured ruins left by devastating floods and the city's mayor said that the death toll could triple or more. The deluge swept away entire families on Sunday night and exposed vulnerabilities in the oil-rich country that has been mired in conflict since 2011. Health officials have confirmed 5,100 deaths and say 9,000 people are still missing.

On Sunday night, residents said they heard loud explosions when the dams outside the city collapsed. Floodwaters washed down Wadi Derna, a valley that cuts through the city, crashing through buildings and washing people out to sea. The dams that collapsed outside Derna were built in the 1970s and have not been maintained for years, local media reported.

People look for survivors in Libya's eastern city of Derna. Pics/AP

Derna has begun burying its dead, mostly in mass graves, said eastern Libya's health minister, Othman Abduljaleel. More than 3,000 bodies were buried by Thursday morning, the minister said, while another 2,000 were still being processed. He said most of the dead were buried in mass graves outside Derna, while others were transferred to nearby towns and cities.

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Untold numbers could be buried under drifts of mud and debris, including overturned cars and chunks of concrete, that rise up to 13 feet high. Local officials suggested that the death toll could be much higher than announced. In comments to the Saudi-owned Al Arabia television station, Derna Mayor Abdel-Raham al-Ghaithi said the tally could climb to 20,000.

Entire families drowned in flood

The wall of water several stories high smashed into apartment buildings, drowning entire families in minutes. One man lost at least 13 members of his extended family while another has yet to hear about the fate of 20. Thousands of others are frantically trying to locate their loved ones.

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