A powerful storm hit Libya’s northeast coast on Sunday. Two dams burst upstream from the port city of Derna, causing a torrential flood that has killed more than 5,000 people, according to local officials. The flooding in Derna is a harrowing example of how built infrastructure can collide with the climate and geography to turn a storm into a disaster. “Floods are the most damaging natural hazard when it comes to destruction of property and lives lost,” said Katharine Mach, a professor of environmental science and policy at the University of Miami. But the danger and damage can vary widely, and a whole “recipe” of factors determines a given location’s flood effects, she said.

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Persons: ”, Katharine Mach Organizations: University of Miami Locations: Derna