Libya floods: Collective grief morphs into a rallying cry for unity

  • last year
For many Libyans, the collective grief over the more than 11,000 dead has morphed into a rallying cry for national unity in a country blighted by 12 years of conflict and division.
Transcript
00:00 Derna, a port city in eastern Libya once famous for its lush gardens and canals, now in ruins.
00:06 One week ago, two dams above the city burst due to heavy rains.
00:10 More than 11,000 people are reported dead, and 10,000 are still missing.
00:14 Collective grief has morphed into a rallying cry for unity in a country blighted by 12
00:19 years of conflict and division.
00:21 The oil-rich country is divided between the internationally recognised government in Tripoli
00:25 and a rival authority in the east since 2014.
00:28 "The two governments in the east and the west have a kind of rivalry, but human labour is
00:35 the most important value, and it is the one that unites and connects all Libyans."
00:42 Residents in Libya's capital are reportedly donating blood for flood victims.
00:46 But aid organisations say the distribution of essential supplies has been highly disorganised,
00:51 with minimal amount of resources reaching the worst affected areas.
00:54 Looking ahead, it remains unclear how authorities will re-home the population.

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