2 rescued 96 hours after deadly floods in Libya's Derna city

By Muetaz Wannes

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Libyan rescue teams rescued two young men 96 hours after the deadly floods that swept the city of Derna on Sunday.

The health condition of the rescued men is stable and they are in a field hospital in Derna, the Health Ministry said in a statement.

Waleed al-Orfi, a government spokesman, hailed the efforts of the international rescue teams working to search for survivors and recover the bodies, whether under the rubble of demolished homes or those swept into the sea by the flood current.

The official singled out the Turkish rescue teams, which he said late Wednesday saved an entire family in Derna.

“A citizen informed the Turkish crew about his family's whereabouts, and the whole team immediately moved with him (to the location) and got the family out alive,” al-Orfi said.

At least 6,000 people have been killed and thousands remain missing due to the weekend floods in eastern Libya, according to officials.

Torrential rains swept through several regions, most notably the cities of Derna, Benghazi, Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, and Soussa.

*Writing by Mahmoud Barakat