The United Nations has said most of the deaths in the flash floods that occurred in Libya could have been avoided. Relief workers are struggling to deliver humanitarian aid in the politically divisive climate, along with he debris from the disaster. Over 5,000 people have died and thousands more are feared missing. Unprecedented rainfall flushed out entire cities in the country last week.

The rain ruptured two dams in the country’s northeast, causing a deluge of water into the city of Derna, which has seen the worst of the devastation in this crisis. The World Meteorological Organization explained that with a normally operating meteorological service, citizens could have been warned and people in the most dangerous areas could have evacuated. Libya’s two governments are reporting conflicting numbers for victims after the catastrophic floods. The number of deaths or number of those missing has not been able to be independently verified.

Read More: Most deaths in Libya floods could have been avoided, UN says, as fears grow for thousands missing