Connect with us

Published

on

On the face of it there is a clear explanation for the tragedy in Derna.

Two dams across the river that runs through the city were too old and too weak to cope with an unusually heavy rainstorm.

But there’s another story written in the stinking channels of mud that carved through Derna‘s high-rises and low-lying neighbourhoods: that vulnerable places and their people will suffer the most through our failure to recognise and respond to the risks of a rapidly warming climate.

Number of dead in Libya floods soars – latest updates

That’s not to say climate change “caused” Derna to flood.

In the same way, it didn’t cause wildfires this summer.

But for both disasters, it helped set the stage – and fate decided the play.

The human errors that led to disaster

There were, of course, other very human factors that contributed to the tragedy.

The lack of flood alerts, for example.

Then a pointless, and in retrospect possibly fatal, curfew on the night the dam burst.

Perhaps most appallingly, unheeded warnings from experts made 48 hours before that the ageing dams may fail.

Warnings from experts that the ageing dams may fail were unheeded Pic: Twitter
Image:
Warnings from experts that the ageing dams may fail were unheeded Pic: Twitter

The ousting of Libya’s dictator Colonel Gaddafi, back in 2011, was followed by more than a decade of political instability and civil war.

Such a volatile time for the country will undoubtedly have contributed to the lack of decent infrastructure and flood planning.

But just like there had been local warnings, internationally the connection between climate-related disasters and vulnerable countries has been known for a long time.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Libya: ‘Residents weren’t warned’

Chances of another Derna rising for world’s poor

This spring, the IPCC – the UN panel of international climate scientists – published its sixth synthesis report on climate change.

It found that between 2010 and 2020, human mortality from floods, droughts and storms was 15 times greater in highly vulnerable regions – that’s those with fragile governments and infrastructure.

It went on to predict with “very high confidence” that those risks will increase with every increment of warming.

Derna has effectively become a case study for their next report.

Storm Daniel, which brought the deadly rains, had already dumped more than 2ft of rain on parts of Greece.

But as it travelled over the Mediterranean it was boosted by sea temperatures that were two to three degrees warmer than average for early September.

That extra warmth fuelled stronger winds and allowed the air to hold more moisture, turning Daniel into what’s nicknamed a “medicane” – a Mediterranean storm with the characteristics of a tropical cyclone.

It dumped its rain over the mountains above Derna.

In one place 414mm of rain, more than a foot, fell in 24 hours – a new record, according to Libyan weather officials.

The devastating damage unleashed after the floods in Derna Pic: Marwan Alfaituri/Reuters
Image:
The devastating damage unleashed after the floods in Derna Pic: Marwan Alfaituri/Reuters

Pic: AP
Image:
Pic: AP

Models predict that Mediterranean cyclones will become less frequent as the climate warms.

However, they are expected to become more intense.

Whatever is built to replace Derna’s dams may weather fewer floods like this one in future – but they’ll have to be built strong and high enough to deal with ones more extreme than what we’ve just witnessed.

A challenge for a country left chaotic and impoverished by conflict.

Read more:
The missed chances to stop the disaster
Civilians use bare hands to dig for survivors
Shortage of body bags as fears of disease rise

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

Drone footage shows flood-hit Libya

Fossil fuel profits outrage

Survivors in Derna are understandably outraged by the lack of warnings ahead of the storm and the slowness of the disaster response.

Yet there is another outrage.

Libya holds Africa’s largest crude oil reserves.

Oil and gas revenues are up; $27bn in 2022.

Yet precious little of that vast wealth has been spent on Derna – its destruction is evidence of that.

Two centuries of fossil fuel burning have driven the global warming that contributes to disasters like Derna.

The aftermath of the floods
Image:
The aftermath of the deadly floods

Yet in the case of Libya, profits from the fossil fuel industry appear to have done nothing to help protect its people from the increasing risks of climate change.

It adds insult to the countless injuries from the flooding.

An injustice that makes Derna’s fate an abject lesson in the unfairness of the climate crisis.

Continue Reading

World

South Korean authorities attempt to arrest President Yoon for second time – standoff with security service under way

Published

on

By

South Korean authorities attempt to arrest President Yoon for second time - standoff with security service under way

A new attempt to arrest South Korean President Yoon Suk Yeol is under way, six weeks after his short-lived attempt to impose martial law.

A standoff is in place outside Mr Yoon’s official residence between authorities and the president’s security service.

A previous attempt by law enforcement to arrest the impeached president failed earlier this month.

Mr Yoon’s presidential security service prevented dozens of investigators from arresting him after a standoff which lasted nearly six hours on 3 January.

The Corruption Investigation Office for High-Ranking Officials and police responded by pledging more forceful measures to detain Mr Yoon while they jointly investigate whether his martial law declaration on 3 December amounted to an attempted rebellion.

The National Police Agency convened multiple meetings of field commanders in Seoul and nearby Gyeonggi province in recent days to plan their detainment efforts, and the size of those forces fuelled speculation that more than 1,000 officers could be deployed in a possible multi-day operation.

Police officers stand in front of the gate of the presidential residence in the early hours of Wednesday 15 January local time. Pic: AP
Image:
Police officers stand in front of the gate of the presidential residence in the early hours of Wednesday 15 January local time. Pic: AP

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

From 3 January: South Korea protesters clash with police

Anti-corruption agency and police officials met representatives of the presidential security service on Tuesday morning for unspecified discussions regarding efforts to execute the detention warrant for Mr Yoon.

More from World

It was not immediately clear at the time if any kind of compromise was reached.

What happened on 3 December?

Mr Yoon declared martial law and deployed troops around the National Assembly at the beginning of last month.

It lasted only hours before politicians managed to get through the blockade and voted to lift the measure.

His presidential powers were suspended when the opposition-dominated assembly voted to impeach him on 14 December, accusing him of rebellion.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

How six hours of martial law unfolded in South Korea

Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul on the day he was impeached. Pic: AP
Image:
Yoon Suk Yeol speaks at the presidential residence in Seoul on the day he was impeached. Pic: AP

Mr Yoon has argued his declaration of martial law was a legitimate act of governance, calling it a warning to the main liberal opposition Democratic Party which he has described as “despicable pro-North Korean anti-state forces”.

He claimed the party used its legislative majority to impeach top officials and undermine the government’s budget.

Over the past two weeks, thousands of anti-Yoon and pro-Yoon protesters have gathered daily in competing rallies near his office in Seoul, in anticipation of the second detention attempt.

This breaking news story is being updated and more details will be published shortly.

Please refresh the page for the fullest version.

You can receive breaking news alerts on a smartphone or tablet via the Sky News app. You can also follow @SkyNews on X or subscribe to our YouTube channel to keep up with the latest news.

Continue Reading

World

Gaza ceasefire deal is ‘on the brink’, Biden says in final foreign policy address

Published

on

By

Gaza ceasefire deal is 'on the brink', Biden says in final foreign policy address

A Gaza deal is “on the brink”, President Joe Biden has said in his final foreign policy address.

The outgoing US leader said it would include a hostage release deal and a “surge” of aid to Palestinians.

“So many innocent people have been killed, so many communities have been destroyed. Palestinian people deserve
peace,” he said.

“The deal would free the hostages, halt the fighting, provide security to Israel, and allow us to significantly surge humanitarian assistance to the Palestinians who suffered terribly in this war that Hamas started.”

U.S. President Joe Biden delivers a speech at the State Department in Washington, U.S. January 13, 2025. REUTERS/Evelyn Hockstein
Image:
Pic: Reuters

The US president also hailed Washington’s support for Israel during two Iranian attacks in 2024.

“All told, Iran is weaker than it’s been in decades,” he said.

Read more:
Pope Francis honoured by Joe Biden
Donald Trump’s inauguration 2.0

Mr Biden was delivering his final foreign policy address before he leaves office next week.

Monday’s address will be the penultimate time he speaks to the country before the end of his presidency. He is due to give a farewell address on Wednesday.

US and Arab mediators made significant progress overnight toward brokering a ceasefire in the Israel-Hamas war and the release of scores of hostages held in the Gaza Strip – but a deal has not been reached yet, officials said.

A round of ceasefire talks will be held in Doha on Tuesday to finalise remaining details related to a ceasefire deal in Gaza – including over the release of up to 33 hostages – officials added.

Mr Biden went on to claim America’s adversaries were weaker than when he took office four years ago and that the US was “winning the worldwide competition”.

“Compared to four years ago, America is stronger, our alliances are stronger, our adversaries and competitors are
weaker,” he said.

“We have not gone to war to make these things happen.”

Continue Reading

World

IDF admits ‘serious offence’ after using vehicle marked ambulance in raid in which a grandmother was killed

Published

on

By

IDF admits 'serious offence' after using vehicle marked ambulance in raid in which a grandmother was killed

The Israel Defence Forces (IDF) has admitted to a “serious offence” after a Sky News investigation analysed CCTV footage showing the moment an 80-year-old Palestinian grandmother was shot in the West Bank.

Halima Abu Leil was shot during a raid in Nablus. The grandmother died soon after.

During the course of the investigation, we noted that a blue vehicle marked as an ambulance and with a red light on its roof was used by IDF troops to enter the West Bank.

Our investigation stated: “Figures who appear to be Israeli military forces exit the ambulance in the foreground. They are equipped with helmets, backpacks, rifles, and other gear.”

The use of a marked medical vehicle for a security operation could be a contravention of the Geneva Convention and a war crime – as well as Halima’s killing.

Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player

CCTV shows Palestinian grandmother shot in IDF raid

The IDF has subsequently told Sky News: “On December 19, 2024, soldiers from the ‘Duvdevan’ unit took part in an operational mission to detain terrorists in Nablus.

“During the operation, an ambulance-like vehicle was used for operational purposes, without authorisation and without the relevant commanders’ approval.”

It added: “The use of the ambulance-like vehicle during the operation was a serious offence, exceeding authority, and a violation of existing orders and procedures.”

It also said the commander of the ‘Duvdevan’ unit was “reprimanded”.

However, it gave no update into the death of Halima, saying “the circumstances of the incident are being examined”.

Read more on Sky News:
UK to ‘mainline AI in the veins’ under PM’s new plans
Jeff Bezos’s New Glenn debut launch called off

The United Nations Special Rapporteur on occupied Palestinian territory Francesca Albanese watched the CCTV video and told Sky News her death could be a “war crime”.

She said: “When I look at the footage, what emerges prima facie is that there were no precautions taken – within these operations whose legality is debatable – to avoid or spare civilian life.

“No principle of proportionality because there was wildfire directed at the identified target and ultimately no respect for the principle of distinction.

“So this was a murder in cold blood and could be a war crime as an extrajudicial killing.”

According to the United Nations Office Of Human Rights in occupied Palestinian territory, Israeli security forces and settlers have killed at least 813 mostly unarmed Palestinians, including 15 women and 177 children, since 7 October 2023.

Continue Reading

Trending