Images from satellite reveal the extent of destruction in the Libyan port of Derna after floodwaters washed away bridges, streets and communities.

At the weekend, Storm Daniel brought heavy rains that caused two dams to burst on the usually dry Wadi Derna riverbed running through the city. Devastation was left in the wake of the torrents of water and debris.

Several bridges crossed the Wadi, connecting the port area with the western side of the city. Waters, which one official compared to a tsunami, swept away bridges and whole blocks of buildings along the river, including residential blocks, government buildings, and a mosque.

Around 96% of properties in the nearby neighbourhood of Al-Eilwa were reported to have been flooded.

The foundations of many properties that stood near the river have disappeared.

Before the storm hit Libya, Derna had a population of around 200,000.

A mayor of the city said that between 18,000 and 20,000 people may have died due to the destruction of so many neighborhood’s.

There are also thousands who have been injured or gone missing, along with many others who have been left homeless.