Death toll from Libya's floods rises to 5,500

Tripoli, Sep 14

The death toll from devastating floods that struck eastern Libya has risen to 5,500, with another 7,000 injured, a local official said.

Osama Ali, the spokesman for the Tripoli-based emergency services, said on Wednesday that no final death toll could be determined yet because bodies are still being recovered from the affected areas.

He added that about 10,000 people have been reported missing and that 30,000 people have been displaced by the floods, adding the flood-hit regions face a severe shortage of basic supplies, Xinhua news agency reported.

On Sunday, a Mediterranean storm made landfall in eastern Libya, triggering floods and causing extensive damage to infrastructure along its path.