Climate Chaos and Western Intervention: Libya’s Tragic Downfall

The humanitarian catastrophe that has unfolded in Libya, including the devastating floods triggered by Storm Daniel, is a tragic outcome of a complex interplay between climate change and foreign intervention. This disaster has claimed the lives of possibly up to 20,000 people and displaced tens of thousands more. It is imperative to recognize that this horror is rooted in the brutal murder of Colonel Gaddafi, not merely an assassination, alongside the disastrous involvement of Western powers in dismantling a once-functional state, leaving behind a fractured and corrupt nation that fails to serve its citizens.

Storm Daniel’s relentless assault occurred on the night of September 10th, causing unprecedented floods along the northeastern Libyan coast. Two dams near the city of Derna succumbed to the rising waters, marking a calamity that evoked memories of the deadliest North African flood in nearly a century, dating back to 1927. The sheer force of the floodwaters was so immense that it literally tore apart neighborhoods. As one survivor poignantly described, “I heard a whoosh, I thought it was an aeroplane. The force of the water collapsed my neighbor’s house.” The scenes were harrowing, with bodies floating on the water, cars adrift, and the anguished cries of people echoing in the chaos.

The impact extended beyond Derna, affecting cities such as Al-Bayda, Al-Marj, Tobruk, Takenis, Al-Bayada, Battah, and Benghazi, located 150 miles west of Derna. Storm Daniel itself had earlier wreaked havoc in Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey, leaving a trail of destruction and casualties in its wake. Such extreme weather events are becoming more frequent due to climate change, with the storm being linked to a climatic phenomenon known as an “Omega block,” marked by heightened and intensified rainfall.

The collapse of the two dams near Derna (shown in our picture in happier times) unleashed a staggering 30 million cubic meters of water upon the city, equivalent to 30 billion liters. Waves surged through the urban landscape, reaching as high as ten meters. Tragically, a quarter of the city was lost, much of it swallowed by the sea. Libya’s descent into chaos, triggered in part by NATO’s military intervention, left the nation ill-prepared to confront such a climate catastrophe. Essential infrastructure, including an efficient meteorological service and adequately equipped emergency services, was sorely lacking.

Authorities failed to adequately prepare for the impending disaster. Weather conditions, seawater levels, rainfall, and wind speeds went unstudied, and there was no organized evacuation effort for vulnerable families in the storm’s path. The result has been a tragic loss of life, with makeshift mass graves and overwhelmed morgues bearing witness to the scale of the catastrophe.

Furthermore, this devastation is unlikely to be an isolated incident. Climate experts are warning that such weather phenomena will become more frequent, particularly in the Mediterranean region, as climate change continues unabated. Tragically, it is the most vulnerable and marginalized populations who bear the brunt of these calamities.

In the case of Libya, the inadequate maintenance of the dams in the Derna area further heightened the risk of this disaster. Research had previously warned of the flood-prone nature of the city’s landscape and the dire consequences of neglecting dam maintenance.

This catastrophic failure extends beyond regional borders and political divides. It is a collective failure of central and national governments, as well as institutions, spanning the past twelve years. It is a stark reminder of the urgent need for both climate action and responsible international engagement to prevent such horrors from recurring.

The involvement of Western powers in not only the brutal murder of Colonel Gaddafi but also the destruction of a functioning state in Libya is a grave indictment of foreign policy. It has left behind a nation torn apart by internal strife, corruption, and a dearth of essential services for its citizens. The once-functional state has been reduced to a feuding disaster that fails to deliver for its people, perpetuating a cycle of suffering that has endured for far too long. The lessons from Libya serve as a cautionary tale about the consequences of reckless foreign interventions and the imperative of supporting stable governance in conflict-prone regions.

By Pat Harrington

Picture Credit

Derna before the floods
By Maherlink – Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=98711774