Three Years After Derna: Libya Continues Identifying Flood Victims

Libyan authorities have identified 14 more victims of the devastating 2023 floods in Derna, including nationals from Egypt, Sudan and Syria, as efforts continue to identify people killed or reported missing in the disaster.

The scientific committee of Libya’s General Authority for Search and Identification of Missing Persons, headed by Kamal Al-Siwi, approved the identification results on Sunday.

The authority said the cases had undergone scientific and technical verification before the results were submitted to the Attorney General’s Office for the required legal procedures.

378 Victims Identified Since August 2025

The latest cases bring the number of victims identified since August 2025 to 378, including foreign nationals, according to figures published by the authority.

Work is continuing on unresolved cases, with authorities seeking to establish the identities of remaining victims and complete the identification process.

The authority previously recorded 3,297 people as missing following the Derna disaster.

Thousands Killed In Derna Disaster

Storm Daniel struck eastern Libya on September 10, 2023, bringing heavy rainfall to Derna and the Jabal Al-Akhdar region.

In the early hours of September 11, the Derna and Abu Mansour dams collapsed, sending enormous volumes of water through Wadi Derna and into the city. Entire neighbourhoods, homes, vehicles, roads and bridges were swept away.

Investigation Recorded 4,540 Deaths

An investigation published by Libya’s Attorney General’s Office in January 2024 recorded 4,540 deaths from the Derna floods, including 3,964 Libyans and 576 foreign nationals.

Damage assessments found that 891 buildings were destroyed, 211 were partially damaged and another 398 were inundated with mud.

A joint assessment by the World Bank, European Union and United Nations estimated flood-related damage and economic losses at approximately $1.65 billion.