In a harrowing event in Libya, Storm Daniel wreaked havoc, claiming the lives of over 5,000 individuals, with an additional 10,000 still missing. Far from a run-of-the-mill weather phenomenon, this meteorological monster was a rare and exceptionally destructive subtropical cyclone.
Its formidable strength was amplified by the abnormally warm waters of the Mediterranean, resulting in an explosive impact along the Libyan coast. The sheer force of the Storm Daniel led to the collapse of two dams inland, unleashing a tsunami-like wall of water down the Wadi Derna River, which, in turn, obliterated large parts of the eastern city of Derna.
This extraordinary Storm Daniel, known as a “Mediterranean tropical-like cyclone” or medicine, is a rarity. Ironically, these events are predicted to become less frequent as the climate crisis unfolds. However, when they do occur, they are anticipated to be more devastating than ever before.
Medicanes are the lesser-known siblings of hurricanes and typhoons frequently pummel coastal regions worldwide. As exemplified by Hurricane Lee over the Atlantic Ocean, warm waters and heightened humidity can swiftly transform ordinary storm systems into life-threatening behemoths. With the planet’s increasing temperatures, such superstorms are expected to become more frequent and rapidly intensify.
While medicines are infrequent, their potential for destruction is immense, particularly in regions ill-prepared to withstand such ferocious weather events. These storms share similarities with traditional hurricanes, including the distinctive “eye” feature, and can cause significant damage upon landfall.
In the aftermath of the deluge that struck Derna on a fateful Sunday night, authorities grapple to deliver aid, as most access roads were washed away. Aid workers who managed to reach the city described utter devastation, with thousands still unaccounted for and tens of thousands left homeless.
Emad al-Falah, an aid worker from Benghazi, recounted the grim reality, stating, “Bodies are everywhere, inside houses, in the streets, at sea. Wherever you go, you find dead men, women, and children. Entire families were lost.”
The impact of Storm Daniel rippled across the Mediterranean region. Before its landfall in Libya, it inflicted severe flooding in Greece’s Thessaly region, resulting in at least one fatality and the submersion of entire cities.
The village of Portaria set a new national rainfall record, with 884 millimeters (34.8 inches) of rainfall before its weather station succumbed. Satellite data from the European Union’s Copernicus program revealed 180,000 flooded acres and nearly a quarter of the country’s crop production lost.
Meteorologists labeled it Greece’s most severe storm since 1930. Additionally, casualties were reported in neighboring Turkey and Bulgaria.
In response to the catastrophe, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies launched an emergency appeal for 10 million Swiss Francs ($11.17 million) to support relief efforts by the Libyan Red Crescent in North Africa.
Azhar Ehsan, an associate research scientist at Columbia University’s International Research Institute for Climate and Society, explains that medicine formation, similar to hurricanes, is driven by changes in temperature and humidity across the Mediterranean Sea.
While warm sea surface temperatures fuel more potent medicines, other factors also come into play. The jet stream, an atmospheric band, is pivotal in determining medical positions.
As the world experiences a shift like the El Niño phase, the jet stream also alters its path, potentially directing medicines further south along the North African coast.
Conversely, the transition to La Niña may shift the jet stream northward, making southern Europe more susceptible to medicine.
Furthermore, climate change is perturbing the jet stream, causing it to slow down and meander into north-south atmospheric rivers. This phenomenon has led to the formation of heat domes near the Mediterranean, resulting in record-breaking sea surface temperatures.
The size, intensity, and trajectory of Storm Daniel and the tragic human toll it exacted are undeniably interconnected with climate change. Surprisingly, research suggests that while climate change may reduce the frequency of medicines, those that do form will be more potent than ever.
The danger associated with medicines is not a discovery. In September 2020, Medicine Ianos struck Greece with the intensity of a Category 2 hurricane, causing substantial infrastructure damage and claiming four lives.
Astonishingly, research warning of the heightened medicine threat due to anthropogenic climate change had been published merely 20 months prior, in January 2019.
In light of these grim realities, countries across the Mediterranean must reassess their readiness to confront massive medicines and take proactive measures to enhance critical early-warning systems.
Improved monitoring and early warning systems can save lives by facilitating timely evacuations, medical assistance, and other essential precautions to minimize loss of life and property damage.
Effective communication ensures that vital information reaches affected communities and emergency responders promptly and reliably—a crucial aspect currently lacking in Libya.
Taking a long-term perspective, Ehsan emphasizes that infrastructure development and fortification can help countries withstand the impacts of extreme climate events, reducing the risk of damage and loss. By prioritizing preparedness and proactive measures, countries can mitigate the impact of future medicines before it’s too late.