Purpose This study aims to examine the socio-economic impacts of the 2023 Derna floods in Libya and evaluates the cost-benefit implications of the subsequent reconstruction decisions, with the aim of identifying systemic failures that perpetuate disaster-reconstruction-vulnerability cycles in climatically vulnerable regions. Design/methodology/approach Using a qualitative, descriptive methodology, the research analyzes secondary data drawn from international organizations – including the World Bank and the World Health Organization – to assess the multidimensional consequences of this catastrophic event across urban planning, hydrology and disaster risk management dimensions. Findings Storm Daniel exposed critical vulnerabilities in Mediterranean arid and semi-arid regions, where traditional flood paradigms have evolved into cascading phenomena intensified by antecedent heatwaves. Derna’s catastrophic flooding resulted from fundamental urban planning failures, specifically the city’s positioning within floodplains without adequate risk mitigation infrastructure. Despite the substantial financial and social costs incurred, the 2024 reconstruction reproduced the same vulnerable spatial configuration without implementing comprehensive flood management systems or alternative planning frameworks, thereby perpetuating identical hazardous conditions and rendering early warning systems insufficient as standalone solutions. The study further identifies significant knowledge gaps in the hydrology, hydrometeorology and hydroclimatology of flooding in arid regions, compounded by limited observational data and inadequate hydrological modeling capabilities. Practical implications This study offers critical practical implications for disaster management and urban planning in vulnerable regions. It highlights the urgent need to move beyond reactive reconstruction toward proactive, comprehensive spatial planning that incorporates region-specific flood risk assessments. Practical steps include strategic relocation of communities from floodplains, implementing robust flood management systems and developing alternative planning frameworks. It emphasizes integrating lessons from catastrophic events into future reconstruction to break the “disaster-reconstruction-vulnerability” cycle, ensuring sustainable resilience in climatically susceptible areas. Social implications The perpetuation of vulnerable spatial configurations in Derna has severe social implications. It places communities at constant risk of displacement, injury and loss of life, causing widespread trauma and psychological distress. The repeated cycle of disaster and inadequate reconstruction erodes public trust in authorities and hinders long-term community recovery. Furthermore, it disproportionately affects the most vulnerable populations, exacerbating existing inequalities in access to housing, healthcare, education and livelihoods, creating a precarious and unstable social environment. Originality/value This study contributes original insights by demonstrating the economic inefficiency of reactive disaster management approaches and underscoring that sustainable resilience requires comprehensive spatial planning, strategic relocation of vulnerable communities and region-specific risk assessment frameworks. The Derna case serves as a critical reference for integrating lessons learned from catastrophic events into reconstruction planning, offering a replicable analytical framework for similarly exposed arid-region urban context (graphical abstract).
Albagoury et al. (Mon,) studied this question.