Whole families drowned in Libya’s flood. Many didn’t realize the danger until they heard dams burst

By YOUSEF MURAD and JACK JEFFERY
Associated Press

DERNA, Libya (AP) — The wall of water several stories high smashed into apartment buildings, drowning entire families in minutes. Many residents of the Libyan coastal city of Derna said they didn’t know they were in danger until they heard the explosive sound of the dams rupturing. Torrents of water flooded into the city and washed away neighborhoods. Thousands are dead and more bodies are being recovered, while families desperately try to learn if their loved ones survived. Location proved the difference between life and death for many. Families near the river valley that flooded were lost. Survivors climbed to roofs and stayed the night, witnessing the devastation unfold on the ground.