On 13 October, torrential rain flooded roads, homes, and businesses across Tripoli. Flash flooding swept through low-lying urban areas, prompting the early closure of roads. Dozens of drivers were stranded when their vehicles were flooded on major roads. Some were even completely submerged.
Central Tripoli mayor Fadel Abu Arqoub said the heavy rain lasted approximately 2½ hours. He described the situation as “catastrophic.” Souq al-Jumaa’s mayor declared the municipality a disaster area. Other heavily affected locations included Bin Ashour, Fashloum, Noufliyeen and Martyrs’ Square. Authorities closed the eastbound Second Ring Road from University Bridge.
State power firm GECOL disconnected electricity in affected districts after water entered electrical installations. The Government of National Unity (GNU) mobilized rescue teams, pumping equipment, ambulance services and traffic police. The Health Ministry established an emergency committee. Corridors inside Tripoli Central Hospital were flooded. Banking and educational services were disrupted.
Two people died. A Jumhouria Bank employee was electrocuted after floodwater reached electrical infrastructure. A lawyer drowned after his vehicle became trapped in floodwater.
On 14 October in the afternoon, much of Tripoli was already accessible again, but persistent flood hotspots remained. Clearance of mud, standing water and blocked drains continued after widespread damage to homes, shops and vehicles. The municipality of Souq al-Jumaa declared the day a public holiday due to the adverse conditions, with essential-service exemptions, to facilitate pumping and road clearance. Sections of the Second Ring Road remained closed in both directions around Zanata Bridge and the al-Bifi diversion.
On 15 October, drainage and recovery operations continued. The General Water and Sewerage Company reported pumping hundreds of thousands of cubic meters of water from flooded neighborhoods. Emergency teams responded to hundreds of calls for assistance involving the rescue of trapped individuals and the evacuation of stranded residents.
The GNU identified the two fatalities and offered condolences. It pledged compensation and stronger preparedness in the future.
Libya’s Housing and Construction Minister, Issam al-Tamouni, acknowledged that substandard road quality contributed to the flooding and announced a transparent technical investigation. He promised to publish a public compensation list within 72 hours, begin urgent reparations next week, and release a detailed report within 30 days identifying the collapsed roads and responsible companies.
As of 19 October, there was no verifiable information that the public compensation list has materialized.
In the east, GNS Prime Minister Osama Hammad ordered on 13 October the creation of a high-powered emergency committee for the eastern and southern regions to prepare for severe weather, heavy rainfall, and potential flooding.
Bringing together multiple ministries, security forces, and reconstruction agencies, the committee has been granted broad powers to declare states of emergency, mobilize resources, and coordinate disaster responses. This pre-emptive action came in response to warnings regarding a low-pressure system moving in from south of Greece, which threatened cities like Benghazi, the eastern coastline, and the Green Mountain region with torrential downpours, thunderstorms, flash floods, and dangerous water accumulation on roads.
On 14 October, the National Safety Authority of Libya warned of the dangers of flash flooding and rainwater accumulation in the Green Mountain and eastern coastal regions. The agency called on citizens to stay away from flood channels and low-lying areas. This warning coincides with the expectation of potentially heavy rainfall accompanied by thunderstorms. However, as it turned out, there was no such heavy rainfall.