Following a devastating flood that wreaked havoc on parts of the eastern Libyan city of Derna, the bodies of victims have been laid to rest in mass graves.

The catastrophe occurred when a dam ruptured during Storm Daniel, resulting in a tsunami-like surge of floodwater that claimed the lives of at least 2,300 people. The death toll is anticipated to climb as approximately 10,000 individuals are reported missing.

Volunteers and rescue workers in Derna are still actively searching for survivors, but they are facing significant challenges due to a shortage of medical personnel. Urgent appeals have been made for assistance, particularly from qualified nurses and individuals with medical training.

While some aid has started to arrive, including support from Egypt, the political situation in Libya has complicated rescue efforts due to the nation being divided between two rival governments. The United States, Germany, Iran, Italy, Qatar, and Turkey have all expressed their readiness to provide aid.

Water engineering experts have indicated that the initial failure of a dam located around 12 kilometers from Derna likely triggered the disaster, sending a torrent of water down a valley that overwhelmed a second dam closer to the city.

Video footage recorded after the incident reveals the devastating floodwater inundating Derna, with cars being swept away in the powerful current. Daylight exposed the extent of the damage, with neighborhoods in ruins, streets covered in mud and debris, and overturned vehicles scattered throughout.

There are heart-wrenching accounts of individuals being swept into the sea, while others desperately clung to rooftops to survive. The damage and destruction are overwhelming, and the resources of Derna and its government are inadequate to address the scale of the tragedy.

In addition to Derna, the cities of Soussa, Al-Marj, and Misrata were also affected by the storm on Sunday.

Libya has been in a state of political turmoil since the ousting and subsequent death of long-serving leader Col Muammar Gaddafi in 2011. This has left the oil-rich nation effectively divided, with an interim government recognized internationally operating from the capital, Tripoli, and another administration in the east.

Despite this division, the government in Tripoli has dispatched a plane carrying 14 tonnes of medical supplies, body bags, and over 80 doctors and paramedics to provide assistance.

Derna, situated approximately 250 kilometers east of Benghazi along the coast, is surrounded by the hills of the fertile Jabal Akhdar region. In the past, it was a location where militants from the Islamic State group established a presence in Libya after Gaddafi's downfall.

However, they were eventually ousted by forces loyal to Gen Khalifa Haftar, who is aligned with the eastern administration. Gen. Haftar has stated that efforts are underway to assess the flood damage so that roads can be rebuilt and electricity restored to support the rescue operations.