flood deaths

On Sunday, a Libyan court sentenced 12 current and former officials to prison terms of up to 27 years for their role in last year’s deadly dam collapse near Derna. The collapse, triggered by Storm Daniel on September 11, sent a massive wall of water through the city, resulting in thousands of deaths. The Derna Criminal Court found the officials guilty of mismanagement, negligence, and errors contributing to the disaster. The prison sentences ranged from nine to 27 years, with three defendants also ordered to return illicit gains. Four others were acquitted. The verdict can be appealed to a higher court. Since the 2011 uprising that ousted dictator Moammar Gadhafi, Libya has been in turmoil, with competing governments and armed groups controlling different regions. The dams, built in the 1970s, had been neglected for decades despite warnings and allocated funds for maintenance. The flood severely damaged up to one-third of Derna’s infrastructure, with over 4,000 deaths reported by the World Health Organization and the Red Crescent citing up to 11,300 fatalities. The U.N. reported at least 9,000 missing persons.