A week after the disaster of the collapse of the city of Derna’s dams and the daily increase in the number of victims, investigations have reached the Audit Bureau, which submitted a report to the Public Prosecutor, after popular and official demands for the latter to open an urgent investigation and hold those responsible for the incident accountable.
Two days after the disaster, the President of the Presidential Council, Mohammed Menfi, asked the Public Prosecutor, Al-Siddiq Al-Sour, to open a “comprehensive investigation” into the flood disaster that hit the city.
Menfi said on Wednesday that he asked the Public Prosecutor to open a comprehensive investigation into the facts of the disaster and hold accountable anyone responsible for the neglect that resulted in the collapse of Derna city’s dams.
The head of the Government of National Unity (GNU), Abdulاamid Dbeibah, also ordered an “urgent investigation” into the causes of the collapse of Derna’s dams in the east of the country during the storm that claimed thousands of lives. Dbeibah stated in a brief statement via his official account on the “X” platform that he addressed the Public Prosecutor to open an urgent investigation into the circumstances of Derna’s dam collapse and directed relevant bodies to fully cooperate.
In a press conference from Derna, the Public Prosecutor said that he opened an investigation into the collapse of the two dams, explaining that they have extensive studies about the history of the two dams and that they have begun summoning the dam management and water resources authority.
Al-Sour pledged to end the investigation regarding floods sooner than many expect and to take all necessary measures to hold those responsible accountable, even those abroad through Interpol.
In this context, the Audit Bureau submitted to the Public Prosecutor a report on stumbling maintenance projects for the Derna and Abu Mansour dams.
The Bureau recommended in its statement to investigate officials for not completing these projects despite having a suitable environment and necessary funds during periods from the contract date until the disaster occurred.
The Bureau confirmed that the contracting parties obtained necessary contractual approvals to implement projects in 2007 and 2009.
The Bureau pointed out that there are no regulatory restrictions by the Bureau hindering implementation processes even after making necessary funds available to executing companies. A previous report by the Audit Bureau mentioned the allocation of more than two million euros for the maintenance of the Derna dam.
The people of the city of Derna are demanding holding those responsible for neglecting two dams be accountable, as the neglect has caused a major historical disaster in properties and lives.
