Unveiling the Shattered Beauty: Derna Valley's Heartbreaking Transformation

Tarek Fahim filmed the water collecting behind the dam in Libya's Derna valley on a late Saturday night. Until 1:30 am, Storm Daniel was merely generating wind and rain. However, upon returning home an hour later, Fahim was astonished by the speed at which the dam burst and flooded his street, likening the torrent of water and the vehicles it carried to an earthquake.

Moving the family to the rooftop, they ascended a water tank amidst the rising water. Remarkably, they managed to survive while only a mere one percent of those residing on ground floors in his neighborhood, specifically around al-Fanar street, were able to do the same.

After the water level slowly subsided, he ventured back down to assess the well-being of his neighbors. However, he was confronted with the distressing sight of the street covered in mud that stood a meter high. Recalling the devastating aftermath, he sadly discloses that 33 individuals lost their lives in just 15 buildings surrounding him. Overwhelmed with grief, he tearfully begins to recite the names of his fallen friends.

Thousands have perished and many remain unaccounted for in Derna, a city in eastern Libya, following a devastating flood that struck in the early hours of Sunday. According to a United Nations report released on Saturday, the death toll in the city alone is believed to be at least 11,300, with 10,100 individuals reported as missing. Additionally, the report indicates that around 170 people have lost their lives outside of Derna due to the flood.

Tarek's feet are caked in mud after traversing the side streets to assist his neighbors in navigating the ruin of their homes. The anguish and devastation are evident on each person's countenance. Men sit in front of their homes, now mere shells, with some in solemn silence while others weep.

On the opposite side, Talal Fartas sifts through the remnants of his once-thriving jewelry store, salvaging gold necklaces and bracelets from the mire. "The safe was carried away. There's nothing left," he laments.

Derna was split into two after the flood swept entire neighborhoods.

The remnants of the once bustling shops can hardly be seen now. The ceilings of the abandoned stores hang with dangling metal pieces. Cars are squeezed into the terraces and entrances of the short buildings. Amidst a tangle of trees and a light post, a purple lunch box rests. Moving a couple of blocks further north, the rubble along the road grows taller and taller, transforming into a wide stretch of debris.

The bursting of the two dams outside the city resulted in a devastating flood, which completely destroyed residential blocks. As a result, a barren landscape of destruction now divides the eastern and western parts of Derna, stretching across the entire city until reaching the Mediterranean.

Rescue teams diligently search through the collapsed buildings in a desperate attempt to find survivors, although their optimism is diminishing. Unfortunately, their efforts mostly uncover lifeless bodies, and it is suspected that many more are buried beneath the piles of rubble.

On al-Fanar street, a man urgently requests assistance in excavating the bodies of four children trapped beneath the mud.

Although international aid and rescue operations are gradually arriving, their efforts barely match the magnitude of the destruction. In the immediate aftermath, local volunteers and emergency personnel from various regions of Libya did their best to provide assistance.

Volunteers in hazmat suits scan the sea for dead bodies in Derna.

Sarah Sirgany/CNN

Neighborhoods in the city were completely destroyed.

Sarah Sirgany/CNN

Abdel Wahab Haroun, a 21-year-old, managed to recover 40 bodies from the sea on Sunday. Braving the treacherous high waves, he tied a rope around his waist and joined a group of volunteers. "I witnessed the grim sight of lifeless bodies scattered everywhere; infants as young as a few months old, elderly individuals, and pregnant women," he shares. "Whole families, consisting of 30 to 40 people, have tragically vanished," he laments.

Haroun dedicates his time as a volunteer at a collection point established near the sea, where the city's victims are being gathered. Each time a dead body is brought in, a nauseating odor permeates the air.

The ground is scattered with half-filled black bags containing the remains of two individuals. As a pickup truck arrives, two more bodies, wrapped in blankets, are brought forth. A volunteer expresses concern about the level of decomposition and promptly places them into white bags for loading onto a larger truck. Whenever possible, officials make efforts to document the identities of the deceased before they are taken to an alternative location for mass burials. To mitigate health risks, a small truck periodically fumigates the air, while doctors and medics caution about the dangers present. In light of the health hazards associated with decomposing bodies, Dernas waterfront has been designated as the primary hub for receiving and transporting deceased individuals for burial.

The bodies they are currently witnessing are unrecognizable due to the advanced decomposition, as stated by two female volunteers from Derna who spoke to CNN. Asma Awad, one of these women, expressed her disbelief, reminiscing about the city's once breathtaking beauty which she used to refer to as the mermaid. Overwhelmed with emotion, she tearfully questioned whether Derna will ever regain its splendor.

Volunteers equipped in hazmat suits comb the damaged promenade, scanning the sea in search of bodies that have washed ashore. The once crystal blue water has now transformed into a muddy brown hue. Fragmented furniture is propelled by the waves and deposited onto the shore. Further out in the sea, remnants of the wave barrier harbor wrecked vehicles, potentially trapping individuals within.

"The submerged vehicles you witness out in the water most likely contain people. Unfortunately, our limited resources render us incapable of reaching them," laments Ibrahim Hassan, the director of ambulance services in Kofra, located in southern Libya.

The crystal blue water has turned into a murky brown.

Sarah Sirgany/CNN

Destruction of entire neighborhoods in Derna.

Sarah Sirgany/CNN

He requires advanced and more advanced machinery to recover these vehicles and scour the water for the bodies of the individuals who are still unaccounted for.

"Once a haven abundant with pomegranate trees," expresses a volunteer while awaiting the arrival of the next set of bodies.

"Derna is gone," Abdel-Wahab says.