On 16 March, bad weather, strong winds and heavy rain hit northwestern Libya, with severe flooding occurring in many places, with many roads impassable and cars stranded. Dabaiba said he is ‘following up with the ministries and stakeholders on the urgent coordination mechanism between all parties to tackle the consequences of bad weather and heavy rainfall, as well as ensure rapid response to reports, address congestions and field observations.’
The Central Municipality of Tripoli announced that 17 March will be a public holiday due to the bad weather. The municipality emphasized the necessity of citizens to comply with the guidelines and instructions issued by the specialized authorities in order to preserve their safety. Emergency services and rescue teams were pumping water from flooded areas and providing assistance. The roof of at least one old colonial era inner city building was reported to have collapsed due to the heavy rain without any injuries or deaths. No fatalities had been reported at the time of writing.