According to officials, the mayor of Derna, a city in Libya that was severely flooded, has been detained in connection with the catastrophe.
Numerous officials were indicted in relation to the disaster that struck eastern Libya earlier this month and left hundreds dead, including Abdulmenam al-Ghaithi.
Residents of Derna who were outraged set fire to the mayor’s home last week.
The personnel were “responsible for managing the country’s dam facilities,” according to the attorney general’s office, situated in the capital Tripoli, and as a result, a criminal investigation had been opened against them.
Before the trial, some of the officials, including Mr. al-Ghaithi, were already imprisoned.
The attorney general’s office charged the officials with a number of mistakes in a statement released on Monday, including misusing cash intended to maintain the dams that broke and led to the Derna floods.
His office added that by neglecting to take preparations, the officials had demonstrated carelessness, which had resulted in flood-related deaths and economic damages for Libya.
Al-Ghaithi has also been charged with misusing his position of power.
There are two competing governments in Libya, one in the east and one in the west. It is unclear to what extent the attorney general can order arrests in the east given that his office is located in Tripoli, which is in the west.
The eastern administration announced on Sunday that 3,868 flood-related deaths had been confirmed.
According to the attorney general’s office, there may be other arrests as a result of ongoing investigations into other authorities.
