Over 2,000 corpses buried in Libya’s Derna after floods

By Moataz Wanis

TRIPOLI, Libya (AA) – Over 2,000 corpses were buried in Libya’s flood-stricken city of Derna, according to local authorities on Wednesday.

“At least 2,090 dead bodies were buried in Derna, including 1,100 unidentified corpses,” Tariq al-Kharraz, a spokesman of East Libya-based Interior Ministry, said.

He said at least 151 Sudanese were among those buried in Derna following the floods.

The spokesman said authorities have so far received around 2,000 official reports of missing people in Derna.

“There are some 35 missing Egyptians in the city,” he added.

Torrential rains from Storm Daniel swept several areas in eastern Libya on Sunday, killing more than 6,000 people with thousands still missing, according to officials.

On Monday, the International Federation of the Red Cross and the Libyan Red Crescent put the figure of missing people at 10,000.

“We have not yet counted the total number of victims,” al-Kharraz said.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi