TRIPOLI, Libya: Following the devastating flash flood that struck the Libyan port city of Derna, resulting in a tragic loss of thousands of lives, Libya’s Public Prosecution has taken action by ordering the arrest of several officials.
In an official statement, the Public Prosecutor’s Office announced the detention of 16 officials responsible for the management of the country’s dam facilities, along with six officials from the Water Resources Authority.
Additionally, the mayor of Derna was detained for alleged deviations from the obligations associated with the management of funds designated for the city’s reconstruction and development.
The official death toll from the flash flood continues to rise, with the count surpassing 3,800 casualties as of Saturday. The catastrophic event occurred when a flash flood breached two aging dams located upstream from Derna, leading to a wall of water that inundated the area on September 10, tragically washing thousands of people into the sea.
The statement further noted that investigators have completed initial interrogations and have recommended the pre-trial detention of those individuals deemed responsible for the Derna flood incident. Moreover, they have requested further investigations into other individuals potentially accountable for the disaster.
