A grieving Libyan father mourns the death of his son as his body is recovered from the rubble following the Derna flood in heartbreaking video, as the death toll in the city alone reaches 5,100
Heartbreaking video has emerged of a Libyan father’s pain as his son’s body is recovered from the rubble caused by the Derna floods.
Devastating floods have devastated entire neighborhoods in Libya, satellite images show, with 5,300 people confirmed dead and the death toll in Derna alone reaching 5,100.
At least 10,000 people remain missing, most of whom are believed to have been swept out to sea by tsunami-type waves.
In the video, the man is seen collapsing at the sight of a small child in a body bag, who the Libyan Red Crescent Society says is his son.
While preparing the body for transport, the rescuers try to console the father and one of them tells him: “May God give you strength.”
In the video, the man is seen collapsing at the sight of a small child in a body bag, who the Libyan Red Crescent Society says is his son.
Others urged the father to “remember God” and one said “May God grant you patience.”
The grieving father sobbed as he put his hands to his face and frantically told rescuers to “keep them here,” adding, “Don’t carry them at all.” I will do that’.
‘Our hearts are with you. We are all with you,” the Libyan Red Crescent volunteers responded as they helped him.
Tragically, this body is just one of thousands that have been found in the eastern city of Derna and the death toll is expected to rise significantly.
Mass graves are being dug and rescue teams are on the ground trying to recover bodies from the rubble and flood water.
Body bags have been placed in the street for people to identify their relatives before they are buried.
The city, home to about 100,000 people, was submerged on Sunday night after nearby dams collapsed and the river overflowed following Storm Daniel.
Residents said they heard loud explosions when it happened, unleashing a torrent of water.
The grieving father sobbed as he put his hands to his face and frantically told rescuers to “keep them here,” adding, “Don’t carry them at all.” I will do that’
The coastal city is usually protected from the rising Wadi Derna River, but the bursting of the dams caused the water to rush in, decimating buildings and cars.
Tragic before and after satellite images highlight the massive scale of destruction the floods have caused.
The U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said emergency response teams had been mobilized to help on the ground and governments including Qatar and Turkey have rushed aid to Libya.
