Casualties recorded as floods hit Libyan capital Tripoli

Torrential downpours flooded the Libyan capital of Tripoli, killing two people, according to a statement by authorities and local media on Tuesday.

Jumhouria Bank said an employee died due to an electrical shock. The Tripoli Red Crescent said in a statement it recovered the man's body during the flooding.

Rescue teams recovered the body of another man from his car, which was submerged in the floodwaters, according to a local TV station.

Fadel Abu Arqoub, the mayor of Central Tripoli, told the TV station that the rain lasted for 2-1/2 hours and that the situation was catastrophic.

Damaged infrastructure

The downpours flooded neighbourhoods and damaged buildings and vehicles, while the national water and sewerage company said rainfall had overwhelmed the city’s drainage system.

The Libyan Red Crescent deployed emergency teams, while Tripoli’s Souq al-Jumaa municipality declared itself a disaster area and appealed for urgent government assistance.

Authorities also cut power to several affected areas as a precaution, while the University of Tripoli postponed examinations through Thursday.

Eyewitnesses said the floodwaters inundated roads and submerged numerous vehicles.