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The Guardian - UK
The Guardian - UK
World
Islam Alatrash in Derna

‘I never thought we would survive’: Derna after the deluge

Rescue teams at work in Derna
Libyans from all over the country have rushed in to help. Photograph: Karim Sahib/AFP/Getty Images

Eight days after a 10-metre wall of water transformed a city of 100,000 people into a wasteland some people are still wearing the pyjamas they woke up in that terrible night. With loved ones lost, finding new clothes, washing, sleeping and eating are not priorities for the survivors of Derna.

Libyans from all over the country have rushed to help, and among them are rescue teams from the Libyan Red Crescent, some in crimson jackets, others in white hazmat suits, gloves and masks. Roads into Derna are filled with ambulances and trucks carrying food and water.

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