THANG LONG UNIVERSITY

English Department

ASSIGNMENT

ENGLISH FOR NEWS

Student name: Đặng Thu Trang

Student code: A41051

Hanoi, October 2023

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Contents
Part 1: INTRODUCTION.........................................................................................1

PART 2: ANALYZE.................................................................................................2

1.Headline..............................................................................................................2

2. Lead....................................................................................................................3

3. The body:...........................................................................................................5

4. Language usage:...............................................................................................10

5. Quotation and photography..............................................................................12

a. Quotation:.....................................................................................................12

b. Photograph:...................................................................................................15
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Part 1: INTRODUCTION

“The function of the press is very high. It is almost holy. It ought to serve as a forum for the

people, through which the people may know freely what is going on. To misstate or suppress the

news is a breach of trust.” said Justice Louis D. Brandeis.

News refers to factual, timely, and relevant information about events, developments, or

occurrences that are of public interest. News can cover various topics, including politics,

economics, science, technology, entertainment, sports, and more. It is typically conveyed

through various media, such as newspapers, television, radio, online news websites, and social

media. News is characterized by its objective reporting, adherence to journalistic standards, and a

focus on delivering accurate and unbiased information to the public. It serves to inform

individuals about what is happening in their communities, countries, and the world at large,

enabling them to stay informed, make informed decisions, and engage in public discourse.

There are two major types of news: hard and soft.

“Hard news” – “This is what we think of when we say “the news”. These stories inform the

reader of events that have happened within the recent past, usually the day before, and are

usually found in the first section of any newpaper or at the top of a news website.” stated Ferry

(2016, p15).

“Soft news” refers to feature or human-interest stories. And feature is a typical kind of soft news.

“Feature” - “These articles are generally longer and go deeper into their subject matter. They

may seek to emotionally affect the reader, to explain the news, or to offer personal insight”.

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stated Ferry (2016, p15).

In the following part, one article from “VOA” and one from “CNN” will be taken into

consideration to find out the differences between two types of newspapers: hard news and

feature. They report a deadly flood and their effects in Lybia. The assignment is focused on the

different techniques that each paper used to represent the same issue in terms of the headline, use

of language, and quotes and the efficiency of these techniques to show the distinctive features

between hard news and feature article.

PART 2: ANALYZE

Before analyzing, I would like to introduce 2 articles I chose. These two articles are about natural

disater, specifically flood. An article is a news article from “VOA” – a state-owned news

network and international radio broadcaster of the United States of America.This kind of news is

hard news because it is valuable in a short time and there are no emotional words. The other is a

feature article from “CNN” which is a multinational news channel and website headquartered in

Atlanta, Georgia, U.S.

1.Headline

“Headlines are the titles of newspaper articles. They are distinguished from the rest of the story

by large, boldface print. Their function is simply to tell the reader the basic facts so that the

reader may decide whether or not to read the story.”, stated Ferry (2016, p. 28).

Scacco & Muddiman (2015) share the same view that headlines are the marquees of news

stories. The news headline can serve a variety of functions, including story summarization,

interest generation, immediacy satisfaction, and attention direction.

In the case of the two articles, both are put in form of a full sentence and use the simple present

tense to describe a past event, which is presented through words like ‘hit’ (in hard news) and

‘breaks, sweeps’ (in feature article).

However, there are some differences between these headline.

The headline of ‘VOA’:

“Deadly Floods Hit Libya Following Powerful Storm”.

The hard news headline is clear and concise, providing a straightforward description of the main

event without ambiguity. It immediately informs the reader about the subject (deadly floods),

location (Libya), and the cause (powerful storm). It aims to deliver the essential facts quickly to

inform the reader.

The feature article headline:

“More than 5,000 presumed dead in Libya after catastrophic flooding breaks dams and sweeps

away homes”.

On the other hand, the feature article headline is more descriptive, informative, and emotionally

engaging. It provides additional details and emphasizes the scale of the disaster by mentioning

"More than 5,000 presumed dead" which adds a sense of magnitude and urgency to the headline

which helps to draw readers into a more in-depth exploration of the topic within the article.

Besides, the author uses another technique that is is the omission of auxiliary verbs in passive

sentences to save space. In full sentence, it might be written as: "More than 5,000 people, who

are presumed dead in Libya after catastrophic flooding breaks dams and sweeps away

homes…". This is also a reduced relative clause which is a common stylistic choice in journalism

to keep headline shorter and more impactful.

2. Lead:

Ferry (2016) studied that the lead begins the process of answering the six journalist’s questions:

Who? What? Where? When? Why? How ?. The lead is the first sentence of the article which

introduces many of the main facts. Most leads are summary leads. Usually in a single line, a

summary lead provides all of the basic information found within the story (p. 34).
Another study found similar data, showing that journalists use the lead to begin a story and give

foundation information to every news story, no matter what the medium. An effective lead

makes a promise to the reader that it is important and interesting enough to beckon, inform and

entice them (Scanlan, 2003).

Both of these articles use summary leads which provide a concise summary of the key

information. This type of lead aims to quickly inform the reader of the essential details of the

story before delving into more depth in the article. However, there are still various differences

between two leads, can be analyzed as follows:

- Who: Both leads do not provide specific names or identities of individuals affected. However,

the lead of hard news mentions the "international Red Crescent humanitarian group" as the

source of information.

- What: Both leads provide information about a significant and tragic event.

The hard news lead provides the death toll in Libya due to flooding that "at least 150 people are

dead." This is a straightforward presentation of the primary piece of information in the article,

emphasizing the severity of the situation.

While the feature article lead talks about the presumed deaths and missing persons in Libya

following flooding and dam collapses "More than 5,000 people are presumed dead and 10,000

missing ". This not only highlights the immediate loss of life but also the ongoing uncertainty

surrounding the fate of thousands of people. It creates a sense of urgency and empathy in the

reader.

- Where: Both leads specify the location of the event, with the hard news lead focusing on

northeastern Libya and the feature article lead mentioning eastern part of Libya.
- When: The hard news lead mentions the days of the week when the flooding occurred (Sunday

and Monday). In contrast, the feature article lead does not specify the days but mentions the

event happened "after heavy rains."

- Why: The hard news lead does not delve into the causes or reasons behind the flooding but

rather focuses on the immediate impact. The lead explains the cause of the disaster as "torrential

rains from the powerful Mediterranean Storm Daniel." This clarifies the reason behind the

flooding and helps readers understand the natural forces at play.

The feature article lead, on the other hand, hints at the cause by mentioning heavy rains and dam

collapses. The lead explains the cause of the disaster as "heavy rains in northeastern Libya

caused two dams to collapse." This provides clarity on the reason behind the catastrophic

flooding, helping readers understand the events leading up to the tragedy.

-How: “How” question is not given in the hard news; while, the feature lead briefly describes

how the event unfolded: heavy rains causing dam collapses, which, in turn, surged more water

into already inundated areas. However, both lead mention how many people are dead in the

disaster.

In summary, the hard news article lead is concise, more focus on timeframe, the immediate facts

and figures while the feature article lead is more descriptive, emotionally engaging, and provides

context for a deeper exploration of the story. The feature article lead aims to draw readers in with

a powerful statistic and an understanding of the disaster's causes and ongoing effects.

3. The body:

There are several noticeable points about dissimilarities in the structure of the body between

these 2 articles.
Namely, the hard news was written according to inverted pyramid style – “Inverted-pyramid

stories arrange the information in descending order of importance or newsworthiness. The lead

states the most newsworthy, important or striking information and establishes the central point

for the rest of the story. The second paragraph—and sometimes the third and fourth paragraphs

—provides details that amplify the lead. Subsequent paragraphs add less important details or

introduce subordinate topics. Each paragraph presents additional information: names,

descriptions, quotations, conflicting viewpoints, explanations and background.” (Fedler et al.,

2000b, p. 200)

On the other hand, the feature uses hourglass style – “The hourglass story has three parts: an

inverted pyramid top that summarizes the most newsworthy information, a turn or pivot

paragraph and a narrative. The inverted pyramid top, which may be only three to five

paragraphs, gives readers the most newsworthy information quickly. The narrative allows the

writer to develop the story in depth and detail, using the storytelling power of chronology. The

key, Clark says, is the turn or pivot, which makes the transition between the two formats.”

(Fedler et al., 2000b, p. 200)

For the hard news, the detailed structure follows the inverted pyramid style, can be analyzed as

follows:

Most Important Information:

- The article starts with a concise and critical lead paragraph that provides essential information

about the deadly floods in Libya. It includes the following key details.

- Death toll: At least 150 people are dead.

- Cause: Torrential rains from Mediterranean Storm Daniel.

- Impact: Swept through the eastern part of Libya on Sunday and Monday.

Important Details Explored:

- The article then expands upon the initial report by describing the immediate impact of the

storm

- Video evidence: Mention of videos posted on social media showing flooded streets in various

cities, emphasizing the severity of the situation.

- Specific location: Highlighting cities affected by the flooding, including Benghazi, Sousse, Al

Bayda, Al-Marj, and Derna.

Statements from Authorities:

- Spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent: Confirms the death toll in Derna and expresses

concerns about the toll possibly reaching 250 due to rising water levels.

- Libyan Prime Minister Ossama Hamad: Declares Derna a disaster area and provides an

estimate of 2,000 people feared dead, with many others missing.

- Verification difficulties: Highlighting the challenges of confirming facts in a politically divided

country with two rival administrations.

Extra information (Background information):

- The article concludes with background information and implications:

- Arrival of Storm Daniel in west Egypt: Mention of the storm's expected arrival in Egypt,

warning of possible rain and bad weather.

- Reference to prior impact: Noting that the same storm caused deadly flooding in Greece the

previous weeks.

- Attribution: Acknowledgment that some information in the report was provided by The

Associated Press and Reuters.

For the body of the feature, there are 3 separated parts:

The Top:

- The top of the article provides a broad introduction to the catastrophic flooding in Libya.

- The opening paragraph provides a concise summary of the disaster, including the number of

presumed dead (5,000+) and missing (10,000) and the cause of the flooding (dam collapses).

This paragraph serves as a strong hook to draw readers into the story.

- The top section closes with information about the dire conditions in Derna, where hospitals are

no longer operable, morgues are full, and dead bodies are left outside. This sets the stage for the

emotional and human elements that will be explored in the narrative section.

- The top part effectively provides a comprehensive overview of the catastrophe, offering key

details and statistics while also hinting at the personal stories and broader implications that will

be explored in the subsequent narrative section of the article.

The Turn (Transition to Narrative):

- After the initial statistics and quotes, the article shifts from the immediate impact of the

flooding to the meteorological and environmental factors that contributed to the disaster.
- This transition happens in the paragraph that starts with "We are all terrified." In this section,

personal stories and quotes from relatives and residents add a human element to the story,

making it relatable to readers.

- The part discusses the weather conditions that led to the flooding, including the influence of a

strong low-pressure system and the development of a tropical-like cyclone known as a medicane.

It introduces the broader context of climate change and its role in extreme weather events, such

as the heavy rainfall associated with this storm.

- The section also touches upon Libya's vulnerability to extreme weather, highlighting the long-

running political conflict in the country and how it has complicated disaster response and

preparedness.

- The "turn" section offers readers a more comprehensive understanding of the situation beyond

the initial shocking statistics. It sets the stage for the narrative section, which may further explore

the human stories, rescue efforts, and international response to the disaster.

The Narrative:

- The narrative section delves deeper into the causes and consequences of the flooding,

including the effects of the collapsed dams, the destruction of bridges, and the challenges faced

by authorities.

- Mention of the challenges faced by rescue workers and the scale of devastation, communication

breakdowns, difficulties in accessing flood-stricken areas, along with the need for specialized

search teams, gives readers a sense of the on-the-ground efforts and difficulties.
- The article touches on the international response and aid efforts, which can be considered part

of the narrative as they show how the world is coming together to help Libya in this crisis.

4. Language usage:

There are some outstanding similarities and differences between the language usage of these 2

articles.

Firstly, 2 articles have the same lay-out and verb usage. Specifically, the story is broken down

into small paragraphs, which makes news uncomplicated to follow. Besides, both articles use

straightforward verb usage, which deliver factual reporting such as "reported," "said," "told,"

"announce," "provided," and "updated’’ or describe the impact of the flooding such as "swept"

"collapsed" "washed away" "destroyed" "washed away" and "swept away" to update information

clearly and accurately.

Secondly, 2 articles are distinguished by the length of sentences and vocabulary.

When it comes to the length of sentences, in the hard news article predominantly uses simple and

direct sentences to convey factual information. The sentences are shorter and to the point,

minimizing unnecessary details, conveying information in a clear and concise manner.

For example: “Media reports say two dams collapsed in the city of about 100000 people, with

entire neighnorhoods washed away”.

Or "Hamad did not give a source for his data, and news agencies were not able to verify the

figures."

On the other hand, the feature article employs more complex sentence structures that include

subordinate clauses and descriptive elements, which provide additional details or explanations.
For instance, "The rain, which has swept across several cities in Libya’s north-east, is the result

of a very strong low-pressure system that brought catastrophic flooding to Greece last week and

moved into the Mediterranean before developing into a tropical-like cyclone known as a

medicane."

“In the eastern city of Derna, which has seen the worst of the devastation, as many as 6,000

people remain missing, Othman Abduljalil, health minister in Libya’s eastern administration,

told Libya’s Almasar TV.”

About tone and style, the language used in hard news is formal, simple words, straightforword

presenting facts and statements from officials. Therefore, it maintains an objective or a neutral

tone, suitable for hard news reporting.

"At least 150 people are dead in Libya..."

"Authorities believe the toll could reach 250..."

"A spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent told Reuters..."

In contrast, because the feature article covers events and their aftermaths, so the author uses

more descriptive and emotionally charged language to create a vivid narrative and convey the

emotional impact of the disaster. There are elements of storytelling and personal accounts,

adding depth to the narrative.

Some descriptive phrases to paint a vivid picture of the situation such as "catastrophic

flooding," "terrified," and "ferocious weather conditions."

Or some emotive phrases are used to evoke empathy and emotional responses from the readers.

"The death toll is huge."

"We are all terrified."

Besides, the article includes personal stories and quotes from individuals affected by the disaster,

providing a human perspective.

"Ayah, a Palestinian woman with cousins in Derna, said she has been unable to reach them

since the floods."

"Emad Milad, a resident of Tobrok, said eight of his relatives died in the flooding in Derna."

5. Quotation and photography

a. Quotation:

“Quotations add color and interest to news stories by allowing readers to hear many voices

rather than just the voice of the writer. Weaving those many voices into one coherent news story,

however, can be difficult. Experienced writers follow certain customs and guidelines to help

them handle the difficulties.”(Fedler et al., 2000b, p. 239)

“Reporters incorporate in their stories information they have obtained from other people in one

of three forms: (1) direct, (2) indirect or (3) partial quotations. Direct quotations present a

source’s exact words and, consequently, are placed entirely in quotation marks. Indirect quota

tions are not placed inside quotation marks because reporters use their own words to summa

rize, or paraphrase, the source’s remarks. Partial quotations take key phrases from a source’s

statement and quote them directly.” (Fedler et al., 2000b, p. 239)

In this case, hard news piece is made up of indirect quotations from official sources, which is

quotations from a spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent and Libyan Prime Minister Ossama

Hamad. They contribute to the article's objective of reporting the immediate events surrounding

the deadly floods in Libya, focusing on the facts and initial responses to the disaster. Besides,
these quotations provide official statements and perspectives, enhancing the credibility of the

report. Here are some lengthy indirect statements are retrieved from the “VOA”:

“The international Red Crescent humanitarian group says at least 150 people are dead in Libya,

with reports of hundreds more feared dead, as torrential rains from the powerful Mediterranean

Storm Daniel swept through the eastern part of the country Sunday and Monday.”

“A spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent told Reuters that 150 people were killed in the

eastern city of Derna after a building collapsed.”

“Libyan Prime Minister Ossama Hamad told Libya’s Al Masar television that 2,000 people were

feared dead in Derna alone, with thousands of others believed to be missing. He declared the

city a disaster area.”

In contrast, the feature article incorporates both direct and inditect quotations from various

sources, which primarily serve to provide detailed information about the scale of the disaster,

expert opinions on contributing factors, and firsthand accounts from individuals affected by the

flooding. They contribute to the article's storytelling and in-depth analysis of the situation in

Libya following the catastrophic flooding. Here are some quotations are retrieved from the

“CNN”:

Ayah, a Palestinian woman with cousins in Derna, said she has been unable to reach them since

the floods.

“I’m really worried about them. I have two cousins who live in Derna. It seems all

communications are down and I don’t know if they are alive at this point. It is very terrifying

watching the videos coming out of Derna. We are all terrified,” she said.
Or

Aly said authorities didn’t anticipate the scale of the disaster.

“The weather conditions were not studied well, the seawater levels and rainfall [were not

studied], the wind speeds, there was no evacuation of families that could be in the path of the

storm and in valleys,” he said.

“Libya was not prepared for a catastrophe like that. It has not witnessed that level of

catastrophe before. We are admitting there were shortcomings even though this is the first time

we face that level of catastrophe,” Aly told Al Hurra channel.

Incorporating these types of quotations enhances the richness of the news report, ensuring that

readers receive a well-rounded understanding of the catastrophic flooding in Libya, its impacts,

and the responses from various stakeholders. In detail, indirect quotations allow writers to

rephrase a source’s remarks and state them more clearly and concisely, and then use a direct

quotation to prove the idea or provide more specific details about it.

Besides, the “CNN” also uses some partial quotations:

He called the situation “catastrophic” when he toured the city on Monday.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the country faces “an unprecedented

humanitarian crisis,” in the wake of the disaster.

Ciaran Donelly, IRC’s senior vice president for crisis response, said the challenges in Libya

“are immense, with phone lines down and heavy destruction hampering rescue efforts.”

Reporters may use partial quotations to more clearly attribute to a source phrases that are

particularly controversial, important or interesting.

b. Photograph:

“A picture is worth a thousand words.”

“Imagery also plays a key role in connecting the viewer to news and media articles. The adage

‘a picture speaks 1000 words’ is certainly true here; using appealing photography that not only

compliments a story but makes it unique, ultimately results in audience retention and better

journalism.”, depicted Amer (2019). She also expressed that it is just as important for the images

to faithfully reflect the cross section of society reading the article, as well as add value to the

text.

In this case, the image in hard news typically consists of only one picture because this type of

newspaper focuses on timely reporting, hence it does not feature multiple updated images of the

events behind it.

Unlike the hard news, the photographs of feature serve to visually document the extent of the

devastation caused by the floods. They show scenes of destruction, including overturned cars,

flooded streets, and debris. In addition to showcasing the immediate aftermath, there are aerial

views of floodwaters in Shahhat city and damage in Misrata, providing a broader perspective on

the extent of the flooding in different regions of Libya.

CONCLUSION

In conclusion, in this modern society, newspapers are the main provider of information and

feedback on public issues. Besides, it is not always restricted to finding and transmitting

information, it can extend to other forms such as literature and cinema.

There are many types of newspapers and there are remarkable differences among them. In

particular, the distinctions between a hard news and a feature article was analyzed, compared and

contrasted. Through this assignment, you can understand much more clearly about the writing

style that the writers opt for to express their ideas and find all dissimilarities between these two

kinds of articles.

REFERENCES

Alkhshali, H., Salem, M., El Damanhoury, K., & Alkhaldi, C. (2023, September 13). More than

5,000 presumed dead in Libya after catastrophic flooding breaks dams and sweeps away homes.

CNN. Retrieved from:

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/11/africa/libya-flooding-storm-daniel-climate-intl/index.html

Amer, S. (2019, September 20). Diverse photojournalism enhances your storytelling. Reuters.

https://www.reutersagency.com/en/reuters-community/the-importance-of-strong-diverse-

photojournalism/

Fedler, F., Bender, J. R., Drager, M., & Davenport, L. (2000b). Reporting for the media.

Ferry, T. (2016). Breaking news! A Complete Guide to Understanding English News. Ho Chi

Minh City, Ho Chi Minh City General Publishing House.

Scacco, J., & Muddiman, A. (2015, December 1). The Current State of News Headlines. Center

for Media Engagement.

https://mediaengagement.org/research/the-current-state-of-news-headlines/

Scanlan, C. (2003, May 29). The Power of Leads. Poynter.

https://www.poynter.org/reporting-editing/2003/the-power-of-leads/

VOA news (2023, September 11). Deadly Floods Hit Libya Following Powerful Storm. VOA.

Retrieved from:

https://www.voanews.com/a/devastating-storm-daniel-sweeps-eastern-libya/7263048.html

APPENDICES

Hard news (VOA):

https://www.voanews.com/a/devastating-storm-daniel-sweeps-eastern-libya/7263048.html

Deadly Floods Hit Libya Following Powerful Storm

September 11, 2023 9:39 AM.UPDATE September 11, 2023 2:20 PM.VOA News

CAIRO, EGYPT — The international Red Crescent humanitarian group says at least 150 people

are dead in Libya, with reports of hundreds more feared dead, as torrential rains from the

powerful Mediterranean Storm Daniel swept through the eastern part of the country Sunday and

Monday.

Video posted to social media showed streets turned to raging rivers in the cities of Benghazi,

Sousse, Al Bayda, Al-Marj and Derna.

A spokesman for the Libyan Red Crescent told Reuters that 150 people were killed in the eastern

city of Derna after a building collapsed. Authorities believe the toll could reach 250 after water

levels reportedly rose to 3 meters.

Media reports say two dams collapsed in the city of about 100,000 people, with entire

neighborhoods washed away.

Libyan Prime Minister Ossama Hamad told Libya’s Al Masar television that 2,000 people were

feared dead in Derna alone, with thousands of others believed to be missing. He declared the city

a disaster area.

Hamad did not give a source for his data, and news agencies were not able to verify the figures in

a country politically split east and west with two rival administrations, and where public services

have crumbled since a 2011 NATO-backed uprising that toppled longtime dictator Moammar

Gadhafi.

Daniel is expected to arrive in parts of west Egypt on Monday. The country's meteorological

authorities warned about possible rain and bad weather. The storm caused deadly flooding in

Greece last week.

Some information for this report was provided by The Associated Press and Reuters.

Feature (CNN):

https://edition.cnn.com/2023/09/11/africa/libya-flooding-storm-daniel-climate-intl/index.html
More than 5,000 presumed dead in Libya after catastrophic flooding breaks dams and

sweeps away homes.

By Hamdi Alkhshali, Mostafa Salem, Kareem El Damanhoury and Celine Alkhaldi,

CNN.Updated 2:30 AM EDT, Wed September 13, 2023

(CNN) - More than 5,000 people are presumed dead and 10,000 missing after

heavy rains in northeastern Libya caused two dams to collapse, surging more water

into already inundated areas.

Tamer Ramadan, head of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red

Crescent Societies delegation in Libya, gave the numbers of missing people during

a briefing to reporters in Geneva, Switzerland, on Tuesday. “The death toll is

huge,” she said.

At least 5,300 people are thought dead, said the interior ministry of Libya’s eastern

government on Tuesday, state media LANA reported. CNN has not been able to

independently verify the number of deaths or those missing.

Of those who were killed, at least 145 were Egyptian, officials in the northeastern

city of Tobruk, in Libya, said on Tuesday.

In the eastern city of Derna, which has seen the worst of the devastation, as many

as 6,000 people remain missing, Othman Abduljalil, health minister in Libya’s

eastern administration, told Libya’s Almasar TV. He called the situation

“catastrophic,” when he toured the city on Monday.

Whole neighborhoods are believed to have been washed away in the city,

according to authorities.

Hospitals in Derna are no longer operable and the morgues are full, said Osama

Aly, an Emergency and Ambulance service spokesperson.

Dead bodies have been left outside the morgues on the sidewalks, he told CNN.

“There are no first-hand emergency services. People are working at the moment to

collect the rotting bodies,” said Anas Barghathy, a doctor currently volunteering in

Derna.
Overturned cars lay among other debris caused by flash floods in Derna, eastern Libya, on

September 11, 2023.

‘We are all terrified’

Relatives of people who lived in the destroyed city of Derna told CNN they were

terrified after seeing videos of the flooding, with no word from their family

members.

Ayah, a Palestinian woman with cousins in Derna, said she has been unable to

reach them since the floods.

“I’m really worried about them. I have two cousins who live in Derna. It seems all

communications are down and I don’t know if they are alive at this point. It is very

terrifying watching the videos coming out of Derna. We are all terrified,” she said.

Emad Milad, a resident of Tobrok, said eight of his relatives died in the flooding in

Derna.

“My wife Areej’s sister and her husband both passed away. His whole family is

also dead. A total of eight people are all gone. It’s a disaster. It’s a disaster. We are

praying for better things,” he said on Tuesday.

‘Ferocious’ weather conditions

The rain, which has swept across several cities in Libya’s north-east, is the result

of a very strong low-pressure system that brought catastrophic flooding to

Greece last week and moved into the Mediterranean before developing into a

tropical-like cyclone known as a medicane.

The deadly storm comes in an unprecedented year of climate disasters and record-

breaking weather extremes, from devastating wildfires to oppressive heat.

Just as ocean temperatures around the world soar off the charts due to planet-

warming pollution, the temperature of the Mediterranean is well-above average,

which scientists say fueled the storm’s heavy rainfall.

“The warmer water does not only fuel those storms in terms of rainfall intensity, it

also makes them more ferocious,” Karsten Haustein, climate scientist and

meteorologist at Leipzig University in Germany, told the Science Media Center.

Aerial view of flood water as a powerful storm and heavy rainfall hit Shahhat city, Libya,
September 11, 2023.
Libya’s vulnerability to extreme weather is increased by its long-running political conflict, which

has seen a decade-long power struggle between two rival administrations.

The UN-backed Government of National Unity (GNU), led by Abdulhamid Dbeibeh, sits in

Tripoli in northwest Libya, while its eastern rival is controlled by commander Khalifa Haftar and

his Libyan National Army (LNA), who support the eastern-based parliament led by Osama

Hamad.

Derna, which lies some 300 kilometers (190 miles) east of Benghazi, falls under the control of

Haftar and his eastern administration.

The country’s complex politics “pose challenges for developing risk communication and hazard

assessment strategies, coordinating rescue operations, and also potentially for maintenance of

critical infrastructure such as dams,” Leslie Mabon, lecturer in Environmental Systems at The

Open University, told the Science Media Center.

Dams collapse

The collapse of two dams, which sent water rushing towards Derna, has caused catastrophic

damage, authorities said Tuesday.

“Three bridges were destroyed. The flowing water carried away entire neighborhoods, eventually

depositing them into the sea,” said Ahmed Mismari, spokesperson for the LNA.
Homes in valleys were washed away by strong muddy currents carrying vehicles and debris, said

Aly, the Emergency and Ambulance authority spokesperson.

Phone lines in the city are down, complicating rescue efforts, with workers unable to enter Derna

due to the heavy destruction, Aly told CNN.

Aly said authorities didn’t anticipate the scale of the disaster.

“The weather conditions were not studied well, the seawater levels and rainfall [were not

studied], the wind speeds, there was no evacuation of families that could be in the path of the

storm and in valleys,” he said.

“Libya was not prepared for a catastrophe like that. It has not witnessed that level of catastrophe

before. We are admitting there were shortcomings even though this is the first time we face that

level of catastrophe,” Aly told Al Hurra channel.

Emhmmed Mohamed Kshiem/Anadolu Agency/Getty Images

Settlements, vehicles and workplaces damaged after floods caused by heavy rains in Misrata,
Libya on September 10, 2023.

‘Unprecedented flooding’

The storm looks certain to be one of the deadliest on record in North Africa.

Libya is facing an “unprecedented” situation, said Hamad, the head of the eastern administration,

according to a report from state news organization Libyan News Agency (LANA).

Mismari, the LNA spokesperson, said the floods have affected several cities, including Al-

Bayda, Al-Marj, Tobruk, Takenis, Al-Bayada, and Battah, as well as the eastern coast all the way

to Benghazi. At least 37 residential buildings were swept away into the seas.
AFP/Getty Images

A boy pulls a suitcase past debris in a flash-flood damaged area in Derna, eastern Libya, on
September 11, 2023.
“We are not prepared for such a scale of devastation,” Mismari said.

Libyan authorities need three types of specialized search groups including teams to recover

bodies from rugged valleys after torrents dispersed them, teams to recover bodies from under the

rubble, and teams to recover bodies from the sea, he added.

Tens of thousands of military personnel have been deployed, but many of the flood-stricken

regions are still inaccessible to emergency workers, according to Mismari.

Top 10 deadliest floods in Africa since 1900

The flood in Libya in 2023 is the deadliest in Africa since 1900.

MISSING: summary MISSING: current-rows. MISSING: sort-direction / ascending MISSING: sort-column

Year Country Deaths

1927 Algeria 3,000

 MISSING: summary MISSING: current-rows. MISSING: sort-direction / ascending MISSING: sort-column

Year Country Deaths

1994 Egypt 600

1995 Morocco 730

1997 Somalia 2,311

2000 Mozambique 800

2001 Algeria 921

2022 Nigeria 603

2022 South Africa 544

2023 Libya 3,958

2023 Dem. Rep. Congo 2,970

Last updated: Sept. 18, 2023 at 5:30 a.m. ET. Data is as of Sept. 17, 2023 at 7:38 p.m. ET.
Note: The number of deaths for the Libya flood is being updated. The total deaths for all events are approximate, the dataset may
not include all the floods that happened in Africa.
Sources: Emergency Events Database, UN World Health OrganizationTable: Rachel Wilson and Krystina Shveda, CNN

Several countries and human rights groups have offered aid as rescue teams scramble to find

survivors under the debris and rubble.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said the country faces “an unprecedented

humanitarian crisis,” in the wake of the disaster.

Ciaran Donelly, IRC’s senior vice president for crisis response, said the challenges in Libya “are

immense, with phone lines down and heavy destruction hampering rescue efforts.” He added that

climate change has compounded the “steadily deteriorating” situation in the country after years

of conflict and instability.

Turkish aircraft delivering humanitarian aid have arrived in Libya, according to Turkey’s

Emergency Management Authority (AFAD) on Tuesday.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said the country would send 168 search and rescue

teams and humanitarian aid to Benghazi, according to state run news agency Anadoulu Agency

on Tuesday.

Italy is sending a civil defense team to assist with rescue operations, the country’s Civil

Protection Department said Tuesday.

Omar Jarhman/Reuter
People stand in a damaged road as a powerful storm and heavy rainfall flooded hit Shahhat city,
Libya, September 11, 2023.
The US Embassy in Tripoli, Libya, announced that its special envoy, ambassador Richard

Norland, had made an official declaration of humanitarian need.

This “will authorize initial funding that the United States will provide in support of relief efforts

in Libya. We are coordinating with UN partners and Libyan authorities to assess how best to

target official US assistance,” it posted on X (formally known as Twitter).

United Arab Emirates President, Zayed Al Nahyan, has directed to send aid and search and

rescue teams while offering his condolences to those affected by the catastrophe, state news

agency reported.

Egypt’s President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi sent a military delegation, led by the Egypt’s Armed

Forces’ chief of staff Osama Askar, whom arrived in Libya on Tuesday to coordinate the

provision of logistical and humanitarian assistance.

The storm reached a peak in northeastern Libya on Monday, according to a statement from the

World Meteorological Organization, citing Libya’s National Meteorological Centre.

Libya’s storm follows deadly flooding in many other parts of the globe including southern

Europe and Hong Kong.

CNN’s Laura Paddison, Celine Alkhaldi, Barbie Nadeau, Sharon Braithwaite, Stephanie Halasz, Zahid Mahmood,

Nadeen Ebrahim, Monica Sarbu and AnneClaire Stapleton contributed reporting