Libya floods: At least 2,300 killed, over 10k untraceable

Floodwaters smashed through dams and washed away entire neighbourhoods in Libya’s Derna city

Emergency workers uncovered hundreds of bodies in the wreckage of Libya's eastern city of Derna on Tuesday, and it was feared the toll could spiral with 10,000 people reported still missing after floodwaters smashed through dams and washed away entire neighbourhoods of the city.

Derna's ambulance authority put the current death toll at 2,300.

The startling death and devastation wreaked by Mediterranean storm Daniel pointed to the storm's intensity, but also the vulnerability of a nation torn apart by chaos for more than a decade. The country is divided by rival governments, one in the east, the other in the west, and the result has been neglect of infrastructure in many areas.

Outside help was only just starting to reach Derna on Tuesday, more than 36 hours after the disaster struck, as floods damaged or destroyed many access roads to the coastal city.

1,000 corpses collected