The collapsed dams were built under Muammar Gaddafi's government by Yugoslav company Hidrotehnika-Hidroenergetika[10] in the 1970s to control flooding,[11] irrigate agricultural lands and provide water to nearby communities.

[7][13][14] Throughout the 2010s the city was a battleground, during the Libyan civil war, concurrent NATO intervention, and conflicts between rival governments established after Gaddafi's overthrow.

[18] As recently as 2022, a researcher at the Omar Al-Mukhtar University in Bayda, Libya had warned in a paper that the dams needed urgent attention, pointing out that there was "a high potential for flood risk".

[19][20] The paper also called officials to urgently carry out maintenance on the dams, prophetically stating that "(in) a huge flood, the results will be catastrophic".

[43] Protesters called for officials in Libya's eastern government to be sacked for failing to maintain the dam or issue an evacuation order.

[46] The Libyan Presidential Council based in Tripoli declared the cities of Derna, Shahhat, and Bayda disaster zones,[47] while the Tripoli-based Health Ministry dispatched a plane carrying 14 tons of medical equipment, drugs, body bags, and personnel to Benghazi on 12 September.

[18] Ordinary Libyans also responded to calls for help on social media, with individuals as far away as Zawiya, in GNU-controlled territory west of Tripoli, volunteering to go to Derna to assist in relief efforts.

[59] On 14 September, the port of Derna was reopened to vessels with a draft of no more than 6.5 meters delivering humanitarian aid,[60] while electricity was restored to the western part of the city.

[61] On the same day, the Libyan Ambulance and Emergency Service announced that remaining residents of Derna were to be evacuated and the city closed except for search-and-rescue teams.

[18] Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi said that he would deploy the country's military in coordination with eastern Libyan forces to help in relief operations.

[63] A military delegation led by armed forces chief of staff Osama Askar went to eastern Libya on 12 September to meet with Khalifa Haftar.

[65] Following a request from the chairman of the Libyan Presidential Council, Mohamed al-Menfi, Algeria sent eight Ilyushin Il-76 aircraft carrying humanitarian aid that included food supplies, medical equipment, clothing, and tents.

[66][67] On 12 September, Italy activated its civil protection departments, with Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani stating an assessment team was on their way.

[68] Anne-Claire Legendre, a spokesperson for France's foreign ministry, announced that the country was ready to respond to requests made by Libya's government.

[69] EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell said the organization was on stand-by to bring support, while the commission's president Ursula von der Leyen expressed condolences.

[70] Tunisia, Germany, Qatar, Iran, Malta, Turkey, and the United Arab Emirates additionally pledged humanitarian assistance to Libya.

[24][31][69][71] In the weeks following the disaster, journalists from around the world reported great difficulty getting into the city, being turned away at airports or needing authorization to enter.