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Catastrophic flooding in Libya was fueled by a “medicane”, an intense cyclone with hurricane-like characteristics that can stretch over the Mediterranean and Ionian Sea and North African coast, scientists said.
Storm Daniel, which claimed thousands of lives this week when it struck Libya after lashing parts of Greece, Bulgaria, and Turkey, caused dams in the port city of Derna to collapse.
Medicanes are relatively rare, occurring once to three times a year, experts said, but can lead to devastating flooding, storm surges, and strong winds.
Storm Daniel hits Greece, Turkey, and Libya
© FT Source: EUMetsat
Animation showing rainfall from Storm Daniel over Greece, Turkey, and Libya
Temperatures in the eastern Atlantic and eastern Mediterranean are 2-3°C higher than normal, creating storms with particularly intense rainfall.
The region has also experienced a high-pressure blocking pattern, which trapped the storm over Greece. When it finally moved, it evolved into a medicane that dumped vast amounts of rain on Libya.
Torrential rains of between 150mm and 240mm caused flash floods in several cities, including Al-Bayda, which recorded a record 414.1mm over a 24-hour period.
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