Approximately 10% of the known fatalities resulting from the recent floods in Libya were migrants, according to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), a United Nations agency, as reported by BBC News.
Libya is a significant destination for migrants, with data from the IOM revealing that over 706,000 migrants resided in the North African nation as of February 2023.
Some migrants establish long-term lives and employment in Libya, while others use it as a transit point on their journey to Europe.
The IOM is aware of around 400 registered migrant fatalities in the floods, although this figure is expected to change as additional bodies are recovered.
The overall confirmed death toll, as reported by the IOM and the World Health Organization, stands at 3,900.
However, different sources have provided varying statistics, with the mayor of the Libyan city of Derna estimating that more than 20,000 people perished.
Derna suffered the most extensive damage from the floods, primarily caused by two dams bursting due to heavy rainfall, resulting in significant parts of the city being submerged.
Approximately 10,000 migrants were living in the port city before the disaster, and the IOM anticipates a high death toll among migrants, especially those settled in low-lying areas, according to Federico Soda, the IOM’s Director of Emergencies.