Ayat Mneina says she is still in shock after devastating floods hit the Libyan city of Derna this week, leaving thousands of people dead.
·People search for flood victims in Derna, Libya, on Friday. Search teams are combing streets, wrecked buildings, and even the sea to look for bodies in Derna, where the collapse of two dams unleashed a massive flash flood that killed thousands of people.
Mneina said she lost cousins on her mother's side and their families. Her mother and father also lost cousins. "It was a long day on Monday just trying to get through to family on the ground or anyone in the area who could give us word of what had happened." In the worst-affected areas of Derna, efforts to recover the dead and distribute aid have been plagued by confusion and a lack of resources. Libya's two opposing governments, long divided by civil strife and war, have struggled to respond to the disaster.Al-Jazeera reported on Wednesday that Derna Deputy Mayor Ahmed Madroud said the dams had not been maintained for more than 20 years.
"One of my aunts attempted to get onto the rooftop and the floor collapsed. She was pulled down into the floor into the water. Her son was swept away and he spent hours in the sea and he was able to cling to something and he was able to walk back out. He walked to one of his relative's homes. They were able to get him to hospital. But my aunt's husband did not survive the collapse. My aunt was pulled to safety and taken to hospital.
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