On 5 December, Benghazi and several cities along Libya’s eastern coast were hit by heavy rainfall, triggering widespread flooding. Rescue teams were dispatched, accompanied by the Municipal Guard and Social Affairs officials, to assist affected families and provide temporary support. At the time of writing on 9 December, eastern Libya authorities said that no casualties had been recorded.
On 6 December, the Government of National Stability’s (GNS) Electricity Ministry announced that power had been cut to 11 districts in Benghazi after heavy rainstorms and strong winds caused extensive damage to the power network. Although the ministry said that emergency teams had taken measures to ensure public safety, it also noted that some damage could not be addressed immediately due to poor terrain, rising water levels and dangerous weather conditions. The following day, the GNS Electricity Ministry announced the restoration of power in most of the Benghazi area after the reactivation of four out of five power stations within the area.
On 6 December, the GNS also announced the temporary closure of several major oil ports in the Oil Crescent – Ras Lanuf, Sidra, Zueitina, and Brega – due to deteriorating maritime conditions and the risk posed to shipping operations and port infrastructure.
On 7 December, the National Oil Corporation (NOC) announced that it is contributing to mitigating the impact of the flooding in some populated areas of Benghazi and Ajdabiya. This contribution included ‘the delivery of five large, German-made suction pumps to the Benghazi General Services Company and two pumps to the Ajdabiya General Services Company.’ Meanwhile, the Zueitina Oil Company, a NOC subsidiary, contributed to assisting the Sultan area, which suffered similar problems.
The Government of National Unity’s (GNU) Ministry of Water Resources (MWR) publicly reassured the public amid growing speculation about the stability of dams and valleys during the current winter season. This was confirmed by Abdullah al-Difar, Director of the Dam Resources Department, who cited ‘official assessments’ as confirmation that all dams in the country remain structurally sound, and stressed that any claims suggesting otherwise are unfounded and not supported by technical data.
There were also more minor flooding incidents in the western region.
On 6 December, the Water and Sanitation Company announced that it had started water drainage operations, addressing blockages caused by rainwater accumulation in several cities and areas in western Libya, including Misrata, Tarhuna, Zawiyya, and a number of neighborhoods in Tripoli.