TRIPOLI, Libya

The Libyan unity government announced on Friday that search and rescue teams recovered 245 bodies in a single day from the flood-affected city of Derna.

Storm "Daniel" wreaked havoc in the Central Mediterranean and struck eastern Libya on Sept. 10, leading to floods in several cities, including Benghazi, Bayda, Al Marj, Suse, and Derna, resulting in a significant loss of life and many missing individuals.

Speaking to Anadolu, Malik Marseet, a spokesman for the Emergency Medicine and Support Center, said that the bodies were discovered at various coastal locations in Derna city on Thursday.

Search operations are ongoing in all coastal areas of Derna, its valleys, and water bodies, and the center continues to receive reports of discovered bodies.

Prime Minister of the National Unity Government, Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, declared a three-day mourning on Sept. 11 after the flooding, and the Libyan Presidential Council called for humanitarian assistance from brother countries and international institutions.

During a virtual press conference on Wednesday, Tarik Jasarevic, the World Health Organization (WHO) spokesperson, confirmed that the flood in Libya had resulted in 3,998 fatalities, with 8,000 to 9,000 people still missing.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar