in Libya, officials are focusing on health concerns following the catastrophic flooding at the weekend in Derna and other northern coastal communities.

“In the wake of the floods, as the death toll rises, health needs have become more urgent,” said the World Health Organization in Libya. “There are at least three large hospitals out of service in Derna while other hospitals are only partially functioning.”

WHO staff shared sobering images of the recovered bodies awaiting burial on the sidewalk, even as many of the dead already have been buried in mass graves after identification. A new death toll of 6,900 was reported on Wednesday, with some officials warning that the death toll could be in the tens of thousands.

The Libyan Ministry of Health is considering a temporary evacuation of all residents from Derna due to the potential for cholera and other health impacts, and the lack of services and adequate burial facilities for the flood victims. Video images from Derna show bodies washed out to sea now returning, scattered at the shoreline.