Before and after satellite images show scale of Libya flood destruction

Rate this post

Satellite images taken before and after floodwaters in northeastern Libya burst through dams and wiped out buildings and entire neighborhoods show the sheer scale of the deadly destruction caused by Mediterranean Storm Daniel.

The big picture: Estimates by east Libyan officials put the death toll from the storm between 2,000 and 5,300 people as of late Tuesday local time. But with more than 10,000 people still missing, the toll is expected to rapidly rise in the coming days.

Nearly a quarter of the city of Derna, home to about 90,000 people, was washed away by the floods, one east Libyan government official told Reuters.

State of play: The scale of the destruction of the storm underscores the vulnerability of a country that has been through years of chaos and fighting.

Libya is currently ruled by two rival governments — one in the east and another in the west. Fighting and political instability have come at the expense of development and investment in infrastructure in many towns and villages.

The storm also adds to the number of recent heavy rainfall events that are occurring more frequently worldwide and becoming more severe, which scientists have linked to the burning of fossil fuels, Axios’ Andrew Freedman notes.

Previous: Scoop: Biden-Bibi meeting sparked internal White House debate

Next: McCarthy vs. himself

Top Biden adviser meets with Chinese foreign minister in effort to cool tensions

Why it matters: The meeting is part of the Biden administration’s efforts to cool down tensions with China. It could also help lay the groundwork for a potential meeting between President Biden and Chinese leader Xi Jinping at November’s Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation summit in San Francisco. Wang and Xi are not expected at the UN […]

Conor McGregor backs Nate Diaz to defeat Jake Paul in upcoming boxing match

Former UFC champion Conor McGregor has thrown his support behind Nate Diaz to come out victorious against YouTube sensation-turned-boxer Jake Paul in their upcoming boxing match. Diaz, who left UFC last September after a 15-year career, will make his ring debut against Paul on August 5th in Dallas, Texas. Table Of Contents McGregor’s prediction Paul’s […]

Chainlink Launches NFT Lending and Renting for Blockchain Gaming, Solving Liquidity Issues

Chainlink, the decentralized oracle network, has introduced a groundbreaking solution to address the liquidity problem in the NFT market with the launch of NFT lending and renting for blockchain gaming. This innovative move opens up new avenues for players to earn yield on their NFT holdings while enabling game developers to create additional revenue streams. […]