Libyans call for inquiry as fury grows over death toll from catastrophic floods

‘Already, we can see the key political protagonists … expend a lot of effort on shaping public perceptions on who is responding and providing assistance,’ says a Libya expert. Photograph: Al-Masar TV/AFP/Getty Images

Libya’s attorney general has been asked by senior politicians to launch an urgent inquiry into the catastrophic floods that have killed tens of thousands of people, including into allegations local officials imposed a curfew on the night Storm Daniel struck.

The Libyan Red Crescent put the death toll at more than 11,000 people, with nearly 20,000 still missing, the highest estimate yet from an official source. It said almost 2,000 bodies were swept into the sea by the floods.