In a tragic turn of events, north-eastern Libya has been ravaged by an unprecedented cyclone resulting from warming Mediterranean waters. The ferocious storm has claimed the lives of over 5,000 people, with 10,000 individuals still missing and feared lost.
This disaster highlights the devastating impact of climate change on extreme weather events, particularly cyclonic storms, and the urgent need for global climate action.
The cyclone, which has been labelled a "medicane" due to its characteristics resembling both a tropical cyclone and a Mediterranean storm, was driven by exceptionally warm ocean temperatures. Rising global temperatures have led to increased sea surface temperatures in the Mediterranean, providing the ideal conditions for the storm to intensify rapidly.
Speaking to CNN, Karsten Haustein, a climate scientist and meteorologist at Leipzig University in Germany, pointed out, "The warmer water does not only fuel those storms in terms of rainfall intensity, it also makes them more ferocious." This alarming reality underlines the direct link between climate change and the growing strength of cyclonic storms.
Libya, a nation already grappling with a protracted political conflict, found itself ill-prepared to face this catastrophe. The country's intricate political landscape has hindered efforts to develop effective risk communication, hazard assessment strategies, and coordinated rescue operations.
The cyclone's impact was catastrophic, with two dams collapsing, sending torrents of water rushing toward the city of Derna. Entire neighbourhoods were engulfed and swept into the sea, leaving a trail of destruction in its wake.
Hospitals in Derna were overwhelmed, and morgues reached capacity, with bodies left outside due to the sheer scale of the disaster. Residents reported being cut off from their loved ones as communication lines went dead, adding to the anguish and uncertainty.
As the people of Libya grapple with this unprecedented crisis, international assistance has started pouring in. Turkey, Italy, the United States, and other nations have pledged humanitarian aid and search-and-rescue teams to support the beleaguered country.
Ciaran Donelly, the senior vice president for crisis response at the International Rescue Committee (IRC), highlighted on X that this disaster compounds Libya's existing challenges, emphasising the role of climate change in exacerbating the country's plight after years of conflict and instability.
The devastating cyclone that has struck Libya serves as a stark reminder of the profoundconsequences of climate change. Warming oceans are not only threatening marine ecosystems