‘Frenzied, chaotic mess’: Fears grow over spread of disease after deadly Libya floods
The aid effort in the flood-ravaged city of Derna in east Libya has ramped up considerably in the past 48 hours. But while there are increased numbers of people on the ground helping, much of it still seems a frenzied, chaotic mess.
The humanitarian relief work might have stepped up a gear more than a week on from the massive disaster but now the aid teams are scrambling to prevent another disaster – that of the spread of disease.
We saw groups handing out masks and plastic gloves to people after warnings that the putrefying corpses still being recovered could spread disease. The water is thought to be heavily contaminated and large sections of the city centre have been left with no water or electricity.
The accelerated activity comes after days of mounting criticism about the relief operation being slow and uncoordinated. Now the gutted city is much busier with scores of teams on site and the main route into and out of the devastated centre is clogged with vehicles. Most we saw were Libyans – from all parts of the fractured country.
We spotted a group of young men from Benghazi, dressed in hazmat suits and wearing respirators.
“There’s no actual way to describe (what’s happened) and to talk about it,” one told us: “You are lost for words… it’s an absolute catastrophe.”
Many of the teams are still involved in trying to locate and retrieve the bodies of those who didn’t survive the violent flooding.
About 10,000 people are still unaccounted for.
Scene of devastation in Derna
Libyan National Army commandos were on a charm offensive with us, inviting us to film them pitching in with the aid fort.
Captain Hamza Adia told us how the troops – like their civilian brothers and sisters – had been deeply affected by the tragedy.
“We are here and helping retrieve the dead bodies.
“All of us are brothers – my guys are here and we’re ready to give everything – even if that costs us our lives.”
Many civilians have been heavily critical about what they say is the lack of any substantial effort on the part of the military to help out with the relief work.
The military strongman effectively in charge of the east, Khalifa Heftar and his sons, have been accused of trying to bolster their power here rather than distribute humanitarian aid.
Read more:
Before and after pictures show devastation of Libya floods
Huge aid package including body bags arrives in Libya
Libya’s recent history dating back to the 2011 NATO-backed military campaign to topple the long-time dictator Colonel Gaddafi, has meant the country has been fraught with problems ever since.
The ousting of Colonel Gaddafi led to a power vacuum which was filled by competing militia and resulted in rival authorities controlling the east and west as well as the outbreak of a bitter and violent civil war.
The instability allowed the Islamic State to take over territory including Derna in 2014. General Khalifa Heftar who was a soldier in Gaddafi’s military imposed a siege on the city to try to “starve” the IS militants into submission.
General Saddam Khalifa
He claimed the credit for eventually pushing them out although Derna residents remember events differently, insisting it was an anti-Heftar group of tribes who reclaimed their city for them. Heftar has maintained a focused eye on Derna ever since.
We spoke to his youngest son, General Saddam Khalifa, who is considered his father’s most likely successor and who we’ve spotted touring the devastated city over the past few days.
Almost every Libyan you speak to at the moment will tell you of the need for much more aid from outside the country to help them cope with this huge disaster. But if General Khalifa agrees with this sentiment, he’s reluctant to talk too much about it when Sky News spoke to him.
“Has the international response been adequate?” I ask him – but he’s clearly a very reluctant interviewee. His face is a picture of irritation with me.
“It’s fine for now,” he replies. “Yes, we need help but the rescue teams are doing their job.”
He is the man in charge of the Disaster Response Committee and responsible for the coordination of the relief effort as well as the international rescue crews.
Click to subscribe to the Sky News Daily wherever you get your podcasts
He is also likely to be in charge of any inquiry into how the city’s two dams both collapsed when Storm Daniel hit Libya.
The disintegration of the dams unleashed an avalanche of water which smashed through Derna like a powerful tsunami wrecking about an estimated quarter of the centre and killing thousands. The dams’ collapse is being blamed on poor maintenance over more than a decade.
Read more:
Libya flood damage revealed
Huge aid package arrives in Libya
Diggers searching through the rubble
But the younger Khalifa refused to countenance any suggestion there’d been neglect or wrongdoing – certainly at the top of the country’s eastern power base which, given the family’s stranglehold on all affairs here, would include himself, his father and his brothers.
I mention this criticism over the disaster and ask if the disaster could have been prevented. Many Derna residents say the lack of investment in the infrastructure – including not upgrading the two dams.
There had been multiple warnings that the dams urgently needed this. “What’s your view on that,” I ask.
He gives that question short shrift… “All is ok,’ he tells me.
“I have no criticism.” And with that, he indicates with a hand gesture that this brief interaction is over.
Alex Crawford was reporting from Derna in east Libya with cameraman Jake Britton and producer Chris Cunningham.
Pope Leo will lead his first holy mass as pontiff this morning – after already paying a surprise visit to see staff at his former residence.
Robert Prevost’s life changed forever on Thursday when he went from being one of 252 cardinals to the first-ever American pope.
His was chosen after just four rounds of voting in the Sistine Chapel – a conclave that lasted just 25 hours.
New pope unveiled to the world – as it happened
The 69-year-old Chicago-born cardinal was not seen as a frontrunner but quickly secured the required two-thirds majority.
There was jubilation in St Peter’s Square when white smoke emerged and about an hour later the Pope’s identity was revealed when he stepped onto the balcony.
The choice of Leo is the first time the name has been used since Leo XII – the pope from 1878 to 1903.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Moment new pope emerges on balcony
People celebrated the new pope’s announcement in St Peter’s Square. Pic: Reuters
Sky News understands one of the first things the Pope did was greet staff at his former residence, Sant’Uffizio Palace, just outside the Vatican.
All eyes will now be on his first mass, when he and other cardinals return to the Sistine Chapel around 10am.
Pope Leo’s first words as leader of 1.4 billion Catholics on Thursday evening were “may peace be with all of you”.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Conclave: How the last 48 hours unfolded
His balcony speech also paid tribute to his predecessor – who only made him cardinal two years ago and brought him from Peru for a senior Vatican role.
“The pope that blessed Rome gave his blessing to the whole world on that Easter morning. So let us follow up that blessing,” said Leo.
He also called for a “church that builds bridges” and is “able to receive everybody that needs our charity, our presence, dialogue and love”.
Read more:
Who is the new Pope?
What does the Pope’s name mean?
The Pope vs his predecessors
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Trump comments on first US pope
There has long been a taboo against a US pope – given the influence the country already has – but Leo was promoted as a “compromise candidate” ahead of conclave.
His many years as a missionary in Peru are also believed to have given him more universal appeal, especially among the cardinals from Central and South America.
President Donald Trump told reporters having an American in the role for the first time was a “great honour” – and Time magazine has already revealed its cover celebrating the moment.
However, the Pope appears to have taken issue with some of the Trump administration’s views and policies.
His X account posted a link in February to an article criticising comments by the vice president entitled: “JD Vance is wrong: Jesus doesn’t ask us to rank our love for others”.
In April, when President Trump met El Salvador’s leader about using a notorious prison for suspected US gang members, he shared another post stating: “Do you not see the suffering? Is your conscience not disturbed? How can you stay quiet?”
‘Pope played Wordle before conclave’
With many now waiting on the Pope’s next public comments, his brothers have revealed their surprise when they saw him emerge in the white robes on TV.
Eldest brother Louis Prevost told Sky’s US partner NBC News it was “mindblowing”.
“When the cardinal came out and started to read his name, as soon as he went “raw” I knew he was gonna say ‘Roberto’ – and he did – and I just freaked out.”
Mr Prevost added: “We’ve kind of known he was special, and we used to tease him about being pope when he was six years old and stuff.”
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
The Pope’s other brother said he had been in contact with him before conclave and joked about watching the hit film of the same name.
“I said did you watch the movie Conclave so you know how to behave,” John Prevost told NBC News.
“And he had just finished watching the movie so knew how to behave; so it’s that kind of stuff because I wanted to take his mind off of it – because this is now an awesome responsibility.”
He also revealed the brothers had played online puzzles Wordle and Words with Friends to take the Pope’s mind off things in the run-up to the election.
The Vatican has announced the first ever US leader of the Catholic Church – Robert Prevost, who will be known as Pope Leo XIV.
The 69-year-old cardinal was born in Chicago and spent many years as a missionary in Peru.
Follow live updates: New pope elected
He was made a cardinal by Pope Francis in 2023 and appointed head of the dicastery for bishops, a powerful position responsible for selecting new bishops.
Significantly, he presided over one of Francis’s most revolutionary reforms when he added three women to the voting bloc which decides on the bishop nominations sent to the Pope.
Bishop Robert Prevost leading a celebration in Peru last August. Pic: AP
As cardinal, he said little on key issues of the church, but some of his positions are known.
He is reportedly very close to Francis’s vision regarding the environment, outreach to the poor and migrants. He said in 2024 “the bishop is not supposed to be a little prince sitting in his kingdom”.
He also supported Pope Francis’s stance on allowing divorced and remarried Catholics to receive Holy Communion.
However, he only showed mild support for Francis allowing priests to bless same-sex couples.
Cardinal Prevost being appointed by Francis in 2023. Pic: EPA/Shutterstock
Pope Leo has years of experience in leadership roles within the church.
He was twice elected to the top position of the Augustinian religious order and Francis clearly had an eye on his progress – moving him from the Augustinian leadership back to Peru in 2014, where he served as administrator and later archbishop of Chiclayo.
He acquired Peruvian citizenship in 2015 and remained in Chiclayo until 2023, when Francis brought him to Rome.
Pope Leo’s years in Peru made him a more universal candidate for the papacy. Pic: AP
While there has long been a taboo against a US pope – given the geopolitical power the US already wields – Leo was being promoted as a “compromise candidate” ahead of the conclave.
The amount of time he has spent in Peru also allowed him to be seen as a more universal candidate.
The world learned a new pope had been chosen at around 6.08pm local time (5.08pm UK time) on Thursday as white smoke suddenly emerged from the chimney of the Sistine Chapel.
Read more:
First US pope chosen
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
New pope elected by conclave
The 133 cardinals sequestered in the chapel picked the new leader of the Catholic Church on the second day of the conclave.
As the smoke appeared, cheers went up in St Peter’s Square, where thousands of people had gathered in the hope of witnessing history.
Just over an hour later, the Pope was introduced on the central balcony of St Peter’s Basilica as a crowd of an estimated 50,000 people looked on.
Listen to The World with Richard Engel and Yalda Hakim every Wednesday
Pope Leo’s first address
Delivering an address from the balcony, Pope Leo – speaking in Italian – told the crowds: “Peace be with you all.”
He then thanked his predecessor and repeated Francis’s call for a church that is engaged with the modern world and “always looking for peace, charity and being close to people, especially those who are suffering”.
Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Pic: Reuters
“Together we must try to find out how to be a church that builds bridges, establishes dialogue and is open to receiving everybody,” he said.
Speaking in Spanish, he added: “I would particularly like to say hello to my compatriots from Peru.
“It was a great pleasure for me to work in Peru.”
There is a long list of demands in the new pope’s in-tray, ranging from the position of women in the church to the ongoing fight against sexual abuse and restoring papal finances.
People both inside the Catholic Church and around the world will be watching how the new pontiff deals with them.
US Cardinal Robert Francis Prevost was elected as the new pope on Thursday after just two days of conclave.
The 69-year-old, who becomes the first American pope, will take the name Leo XIV.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
‘Evil will not prevail, we are all in the hands of God’, the new American Pope told the crowd.
On Friday, Pope Leo will lead his first holy mass as pontiff after already paying a surprise visit to see staff at his former residence.
Here, Sky News Europe correspondent Siobhan Robbins takes an in-depth look at the challenges facing the new pontiff.
Sexual abuse
Many Catholic insiders credit Pope Francis with going further than any of his predecessors to address sexual abuse.
He gathered bishops together for a conference on the issue in 2019 and that led to a change that allows cooperating with civil courts if needed during abuse cases.
But it didn’t go as far as forcing the disclosure of all information gathered in relation to child abuse.
Any abuse allegations must now be referred to church leaders, but reformers stopped short of decreeing that such cases should also be automatically referred to the police.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Clerical abuse victim says church still has ‘so much to do’
While many abuse victims agree they saw progress under Pope Francis, who spent a lot of time listening to their accounts, they say reforms didn’t go far enough.
The next pope will be under pressure to take strong action on the issue.
Newly-elected Pope Leo XIV appears on the balcony of St Peter’s Basilica at the Vatican. Pic: Reuters
Women
Pope Francis also did more to promote women in the Vatican than any other pontiff.
Two years ago, he allowed women to vote in a significant meeting of bishops.
While he was clear he wanted women to have more opportunities, he resisted the idea that they needed to be part of the church hierarchy and didn’t change the rules on women being ordained.
A woman kneels at St. Peter’s Square, on the first day of the conclave to elect the new pope. Pic: Reuters
His successor will need to decide if they push this agenda forward or rein it back in.
It’s a pressing concern as women do a huge amount of the work in schools and hospitals, but many are frustrated about being treated as second-class citizens. 10,000 nuns a year have left in the decade from 2012 to 2022, according to Vatican figures.
Inclusion
“Who am I to judge?” Pope Francis famously said when asked about a gay monsignor in 2013.
His supporters say he sought to make the church more open, including allowing blessings for same sex couples but while critics argue he didn’t go far enough, some conservatives were outraged.
A gay couple kiss at a Catholic protest against the legalisation of gay marriage in Mexico. File pic: Reuters
African bishops collectively rejected blessings for same sex couples, saying “it would cause confusion and would be in direct contradiction to the cultural ethos of African communities”.
How welcome LGBTQ+ people feel in the church will depend partly on decisions made by the pontiff.
Conversely, the Pope must also bring together disparate groups within the Catholic faith.
Many are demanding a leader who can unite the various factions and bring stability in an increasingly unstable world.
The global south
While the Catholic church is losing members in its traditional base of Europe, it’s growing rapidly in the global south.
The area has become the new centre of gravity for Catholicism with huge followings in countries like Brazil, Mexico and the Philippines.
Pope Francis tried to expand representation by appointing more cardinals from different areas of the world, and the new Pope will be expected to continue this.
Please use Chrome browser for a more accessible video player
Behind the scenes at the conclave
Finance
The Vatican is facing a serious financial crisis.
The budget deficit has tripled since Pope Francis’s election and the pension fund has a shortfall of up to €2bn (£1.7bn).
These money worries, which were compounded by COVID-19 and long-standing bureaucratic challenges, represent a major concern for the next pope.
-
Sports3 years ago‘Storybook stuff’: Inside the night Bryce Harper sent the Phillies to the World Series
-
Sports1 year agoStory injured on diving stop, exits Red Sox game
-
Sports2 years agoGame 1 of WS least-watched in recorded history
-
Sports2 years agoMLB Rank 2023: Ranking baseball’s top 100 players
-
Sports4 years ago
Team Europe easily wins 4th straight Laver Cup
-
Environment2 years agoJapan and South Korea have a lot at stake in a free and open South China Sea
-
Environment2 years agoGame-changing Lectric XPedition launched as affordable electric cargo bike
-
Business3 years agoBank of England’s extraordinary response to government policy is almost unthinkable | Ed Conway