Eko Hot Blog reports that the deputy mayor of Derna, Libya, has said that the city’s infrastructure was not built to withstand the devastating floods that hit the city this week.
Ahmed Madroud said that the dams in Derna have not been maintained since 2002, and that they are not big enough to withstand the force of the water.
“The first dam that failed was only 70 metres (230 feet) tall,” Madroud told Al Jazeera. “Once the water rushed past it, it accumulated behind the second dam, eventually causing it to burst.”
The death toll from the floods is now estimated to be at least 3,000, but Madroud said that the number could be much higher.
“According to the information I have received, at least 20 percent of the city is destroyed,” he said.
Many buildings in Derna are clustered in narrow streets very close to where the water was running. These buildings were not built well and were easily swept away by the floodwaters.
Madroud said that the damage from the floods will be difficult to repair.
“The dams need to be rebuilt, and the roads and infrastructure need to be restored,” he said. “This will take a lot of time and money.”
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