Barce, Libya, February 1963: Carrying all the belongings she could save from her ruined home, a mother leads her child in search of shelter following an earthquake.

Most of the ancient city of Barce was destroyed in the magnitude 5.6 earthquake on Feb. 21, 1963. The final death toll was some 300 people with another 500 injured. Following the recommendations of a UNESCO report, the Libyan authorities rebuilt the town on firmer ground some 2.5 miles from the original city, renaming it Al Marj.

On Sept. 10, 2023, the city and many neighboring cities in the country’s northeastern region were hit by disastrous floods resulting in some 15,000 people dead or missing and many more displaced.

Read Stars and Stripes photographer Red Grandy’s 1963 account of the aftermath here.

For current news on Libya check out https://www.stripes.com/

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