A quarter of the city of Derna in Libya has been destroyed by a catastrophic flood in which 15,000 people are feared dead.
The collapse of a major dam wreaked havoc as a tsunami-like torrent unleashed huge amounts of water, mud and debris onto locals.
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According to local media, more than 5,000 people have died so far, but 10,000 more are missing after "entire neighborhoods" were swept into the sea.
Storm Daniel hit the city, which has a population of about 125,000, on Sunday, sending citizens a terrifying wall of water.
Libyan journalist Johr Ali told the BBC that survivors were experiencing scenes of "apocalyptic" devastation.
Government Minister Hichem Abu Chkiouat said after visiting Derna: "There are bodies everywhere: in the sea, in the valleys, under buildings.
"I'm not exaggerating when I say that 25% of the city has disappeared. Many, many buildings have collapsed."
Bodies have been seen lying along streets and hospital corridors as distraught families scour the city in search of their loved ones.
Mohamad al-Qabisi, director of Wahda Hospital, said 1,700 people had already been confirmed dead in one of the city's two districts and 500 in the other.
It was the second major disaster to hit North Africa in three days after the Devastating earthquake in Morocco.
Hisham Chkiouat, an aviation minister who sits on the government's emergency response committee, previously told the bbc that a large part of the city had been swept into the sea.
"I was shocked by what I saw, it's like a tsunami," he said.
"A huge neighborhood has been destroyed; there are a large number of victims, which increases every hour.
"There are currently 1,500 dead. More than 2,000 missing. We don't have exact figures, but it is a calamity," he said, adding that the dam had not been properly maintained for some time.
Libya, in crisis after a decade of civil war, is politically divided between east and west.
Public services have collapsed since a NATO-backed uprising in 2011 that sparked years of unrest.
The internationally recognized government in Tripoli does not control the eastern areas, where Derna is located.
The Tripoli Presidential Council, made up of three people and functioning as the head of state, asked the international community for help.
Chkiouat then confirmed that aid was on the way and that the eastern administration would accept help from the Tripoli government.
A plane was sent with 14 tons of medical supplies, body bags and more than 80 doctors and paramedics.
Turkey is among some of the countries that have also sent aid to help, including search and rescue vehicles, rescue boats, generators and food, Reuters. reports.
after hitting Greece Last week, Storm Daniel swept across the Mediterranean on Sunday.
Flooding roads and destroying buildings in Derna and hitting other settlements along the coast, the storm also hit Benghazi, Libya's second-largest city.
Videos from Derna showed a wide torrent running through the city center where a much narrower channel previously flowed.
On both sides stood the ruins of collapsed buildings.
Almostkbal television in eastern Libya broadcast images showing desperate civilians stranded on the roofs of their vehicles pleading for help.
"Those missing are in the thousands and the dead are more than 2,000," Osama Hamad told al-Masar TV.
"Entire neighborhoods in Derna have disappeared, along with their residents washed away."
Derna resident Saleh al-Obaidi said he had managed to flee with his family, although houses in a valley near the city had collapsed.
"People were asleep and woke up to find their houses surrounded by water," he told Reuters.
Ahmed Mohamed, another resident, said: "We were asleep and when we woke up we found water besieging the house.
"We're in and trying to get out."
Witnesses said the water level had reached three metres.
The parliament of eastern Libya declared three days of mourning.
Abdulhamid al-Dbeibah, prime minister of the interim government in Tripoli, also declared three days of mourning in all affected cities, calling them "disaster zones."
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