Libya’s General Authority for Search and Identification of Missing Persons has confirmed the identification of 20 additional victims of Storm Daniel, the catastrophic storm that struck Derna and the Green Mountain region in September 2023. Among the newly identified are two Egyptian nationals, according to an official statement issued by the authority on Sunday.
The announcement comes nearly two years after the devastating floods that swept through the city of Derna when two dams collapsed, unleashing torrents of water that destroyed entire neighborhoods and claimed thousands of lives. The disaster remains the deadliest in Libya’s modern history.
During a meeting of the authority’s Scientific Committee, chaired by its head, Kamal Al-Siouy, experts presented technical reports confirming genetic matches through DNA testing. The results were verified, reviewed, and formally approved by the committee after completing all procedural and analytical steps.
The committee has referred the official identification reports to the Office of the Attorney General to initiate the required legal measures. The authority stated that the identification process followed international forensic standards and relied on DNA samples collected from families of the missing.
The General Authority also released the full list of the 20 identified victims to inform families and enable them to complete the necessary legal and burial arrangements.
This new round of identifications is part of an ongoing national effort to uncover the fates of those lost during Storm Daniel. Despite significant progress, hundreds remain missing, as teams continue DNA testing and recovery work in coordination with local and international partners.
The authority reaffirmed its commitment to continue these efforts until all possible identifications are made, calling on families of the missing to provide DNA samples and assist in bringing long-awaited closure to the tragedy of Derna.
