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A picture taken on October 13, 2021 shows a view of the Medjerda river flowing through the Sidi Salem dam in the northern Tunisian area of Testour, in the Beja province. - The Sidi Salem reservoir supplies water to almost three million Tunisians, but years of drought across North Africa has left it critically low, an ominous sign for the region's future. All four Maghreb states -- Tunisia, Libya, Algeria and Morocco -- are among the 30 most water-stressed countries in the world, according to the World Resources Institute. And as droughts get longer and more intense in the coming years, farmers will be the first to feel the pinch.
Libyan authorities have detained sixteen officials in a thorough investigation into the catastrophic collapse of two dams in the coastal city of Derna.
On September 10, this tragic incident, which was the result of heavy rainfall, unleashed deadly floods that claimed thousands of lives and left extensive damage, according to CNN.
Libyan Officials Detained in Wake of Derna's Dam Collapse
As the nation grapples with the aftermath of this disaster, questions surrounding the accountability of those responsible have taken center stage. The Libyan attorney general's office issued a statement announcing the initiation of a criminal case against the sixteen officials managing the country's dam facilities.
Among those detained are the mayor of Derna and several present and former water infrastructure authorities. This development follows protests in Derna, where residents demanded the removal of individuals in positions of power, blaming them for the catastrophe.
The torrential rainfall and subsequent dam breaches resulted in a massive wave of water inundating Derna, submerging entire neighborhoods, and sweeping them into the sea. The World Health Organization has reported that nearly 4,000 people lost their lives in the devastating floods, while an additional 9,000 individuals remain unaccounted for, underscoring the magnitude of the tragedy.
Authorities have taken the step of placing the sixteen officials under pre-trial detention after conducting interrogations. In addition to these arrests, prosecutors are actively investigating others who may have benefitted unlawfully from the city's reconstruction project in connection with the floods.
Derna has a history of susceptibility to flooding, with its dam reservoirs responsible for at least five deadly floods since 1942. The most recent incident before this catastrophe occurred in 2011, as documented in a research paper published by Libya's Sebha University last year.
The report highlighted the "high potential for flood risk" associated with the Derna dams and emphasized the critical need for periodic maintenance to prevent "catastrophic" flooding.
Ahmed Madroud, the city's deputy mayor, shockingly revealed that since 2002, these two dams, built by a Yugoslav construction company between 1973 and 1977, had not received any maintenance. The failure to address the known issues with the dams has raised questions about the responsible authorities' neglect and mismanagement, as per The Independent.
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Audit Reveals Neglected Dam Maintenance Despite $2M Funding
Furthermore, a state-run audit agency's report in 2021 revealed that despite allocating over $2 million for dam maintenance in 2012 and 2013, meaningful upkeep still needed to be performed on the dams. In a surprising twist, a Turkish firm was contracted in 2007 to maintain these dams and construct a third one between them.
Arsel Construction Company Ltd. claimed to have completed its work by November 2012 but has remained silent in the face of recent inquiries. The magnitude of the disaster is difficult to ascertain accurately. Government officials and aid agencies have estimated that anywhere from 4,000 to as many as 11,000 lives were lost in the floods.
However, the actual death toll remains unknown, as the bodies of many victims are buried under rubble or have been swept into the Mediterranean, impeding search and recovery efforts. Inside the devastated city of Derna, residents, many of whom lost numerous relatives, express hope and despair.
Local and international rescue teams continue to comb through the mud and wreckage, tirelessly searching for missing victims. While these arrests offer a glimmer of hope for justice and accountability, the investigation faces formidable challenges due to Libya's fractured political landscape.
The nation has been marred by rival factions and militias since the Arab Spring uprising in 2011, which resulted in the ousting and subsequent death of longtime dictator Muammar Gaddafi.
Currently, the country is divided into two distinct power centers. General Khalifa Hafter's Libyan National Army governs the east, and a rival administration based in the capital, Tripoli, enjoys widespread international support.
The tragic dam collapse in Derna is a stark reminder of the urgent need for infrastructure maintenance and responsible governance in Libya. As the nation grapples with its tumultuous political landscape, the people of Derna mourn their lost loved ones and hope for a future marked by stability and accountability, The Telegraph reported.
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