Cairo/UNI: A minimum of 55 children living in the northeastern Libyan city of Derna were poisoned because of water contamination caused by recent floods, said Haider al-Sayeh, the leader of the Libyan National Disease Control Center, on Friday.

Delayed discovery of the bodies of those killed by the floods in Derna might lead to epidemics and infections, stated Abderrahim Mazyek, head of Al-Bayda health center in eastern Libya.

"There have already been 55 reported cases of children getting poisoned by the contaminated water in the city of Derna," al-Sayeh told Libyan news portal Abaad, stating it was vital to evacuate people from Derna's flooded areas.

The death toll from the flooding in eastern Libya has exceeded 11,000, with about 20,000 people missing, Al-Arabiya reported on Thursday, citing the local Red Crescent Movement.

The latest official situation update on Wednesday afternoon put the death toll from the floods at over 7,000.

Abdulmenam Al-Ghaithi, mayor of Derna Wednesday, stated that the death toll may reach from 18,000 to 20,000.

This week, torrential rains brought by Storm Daniel caused high water and floods in multiple cities and towns in eastern Libya, including Al-Bayda and Derna. Air and seaports in the region were closed due to heavy downpours.

The cities of Susah and Derna were declared natural disaster zones along with curfews imposed in the flood-affected cities.