The extent of devastation that a dam breach can cause can be gauged by looking at the city of Derna in Libya. Houses were filled with water and mud. Bodies are emerging from the mud and debris. They are rotting away. Now there is a danger of diseases spreading there. Foreign media is treating it like a nuclear bomb attack. (Photo: AFP)
Derna city with a population of 1.25 lakh is now completely ruined. Broken buildings, mud, cars loaded on top of each other are visible all around. No one knows that if they step in the mud, they will find someone’s dead body underneath. More than 40 thousand people are feared dead. (Photo: AFP)
A Yugoslavian company had built two dams in Derna in 1970. The first dam was 75 meters high. It contained 1.80 crore cubic meters of water. The second dam was 45 meters high. 15 lakh cubic meters of water was accumulated there. Every cubic meter of water weighs one tonne. There was about 2 crore tonnes of water in both the dams. Below which the city of Darna was situated. (Photo: AFP)
Satellite photos show that these dams were empty. They were not being taken care of for the last 20 years. The problem was not with the empty dam. But it was under repair. Hurricane Daniel brought so much water that the old and weakening dam could not handle it. The dam broke and destroyed the city of Derna situated below it. (Photo: AP)
Both dams were made of concrete. He also had a glory hole. So that the water does not overflow. But the wood got stuck in it. It was closed. No one paid attention to maintenance. Garbage kept accumulating. Because of this, the dam started filling with water rapidly due to the rains after the storm. Hurricane Daniel continued to rain continuously for a week. (Photo: Reuters)
The local administration of Derna was not ready for this. When a storm came, the big dam was filled first. When it could not handle the amount of water, water started flowing from above. After some time he broke down. Simultaneously 1.80 crore tonnes of water moved downwards. The dam in the lower area did not have the power to stop this much water. (Photo: Getty)
The small dam also broke. Then what caused the fire in the entire city. The lower part of every house was filled with water. It is not only the responsibility to strengthen the dams, but its maintenance is also important. The task in which the Libyan government and local administration failed. Last year a report was also published regarding this. (Photo: AP)
It was said in that report that there is a need to immediately handle the Derna Valley Basin. Otherwise a major disaster will occur here any day. Both dams were in need of maintenance. If these break, the city present in the valley will be destroyed. Everyone knew about the danger. Everyone knew that big dams could prove dangerous. It happened here. (Photo: Getty)
Dams continue to operate for thousands of years. The dams built by the Roman Empire are still working today. There is a need to pay attention to their design and strength. And also their maintenance. To clean the garbage accumulated in dams. So that they can work properly. Because if they are not cleaned, they are no less than a nuclear bomb. (Photo: Reuters)
Libyan hydrologist Abdul Wanis Ashur said that everyone knew the condition of these dams. But no one was paying attention. Neither the administration nor the government. People also knew that death was looming over them. If the Public Water Commission had paid attention to the report published last year and got the dam cleaned, perhaps this scene would not have been seen. (Photo: Reuters)
The Libyan government knew what was happening in the Derna river valley. What kind of problem is going to happen? But it was not making any difference. Now almost half the population of this city has been destroyed. Abdulkader Mohammad Alfakari, 22, said that when the flood came, he ran to the roof of the fourth floor. saved. (Photo: AFP)
Abdulkader saw people and buildings in his neighborhood being washed away into the sea. People were asking for help by lighting mobile torches. No one was able to understand anything. The vehicles parked on the roads had entered the houses. Only dead bodies were flowing. People’s bodies were being carried to different houses along with water and mud. It was a terrible sight. (Photo: Reuters)
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