A powerful storm, named Daniel, has resulted in the tragic loss of at least 150 lives due to severe flooding in eastern Libya, as confirmed by an official statement.

Storm Daniel made landfall in the North African nation over the weekend, prompting the declaration of a state of extreme emergency by the authorities. In the preceding week, this storm had already claimed the lives of a dozen people in Europe.

During the ongoing rescue operations, seven Libyan army personnel have gone missing.

In response to the crisis, officials in eastern Libya have imposed a curfew, and the closure of schools and shops has been mandated.

Mohamed Massoud, a spokesman for the Benghazi-based administration in Libya, informed the French news agency AFP that "at least 150 people were killed as a result of flooding and torrential rains left by storm Daniel in Derna, the Jabal al-Akhdar region, and the suburbs of Al-Marj."

The impact of Storm Daniel has been felt in eastern cities such as Benghazi and Sousse, along with Derna and Al-Marj. Even the western city of Misrata has not been spared from the floods.

Unverified videos of the storm, including one showing a man being swept away by torrents of floodwater and another depicting trapped drivers on the roofs of their cars, have been circulating online.

The storm has also led to the closure of four major oil ports in the affected areas.

Prime Minister Abdulhamid Dbeiba of the internationally recognized government in the capital, Tripoli, announced on Sunday that he had directed all state agencies to respond immediately to the damage and flooding. The United Nations in Libya stated that it was closely monitoring the situation and would provide urgent relief assistance to support local and national response efforts.

Libya has been divided between two rival administrations since 2014, following the death of long-time leader Muammar Gaddafi in 2011.

Storm Daniel had previously struck Greece, Turkey, and Bulgaria last week, resulting in the loss of over a dozen lives. It is expected to reach western Egypt on Monday.

Climate scientists have warned that global warming is causing increased evaporation of water during the summer, leading to more intense storms.