Libya floods: Death toll surpasses 5,500

The death toll from devastating floods that struck eastern Libya has risen to 5,500, with another 7,000 injured, a local official said on Wednesday.

Osama Ali, the spokesman for the Tripoli-based emergency services, said that no final death toll could be determined yet because bodies are still being recovered from the affected areas, reports Xinhua.

He said that about 10,000 people have been reported missing and that 30,000 people have been displaced by the floods, adding the flood-hit regions face a severe shortage of basic supplies.

On Sunday, a Mediterranean storm made landfall in eastern Libya, triggering floods and causing extensive damage to infrastructure along its path.