Sudan Declares State of Emergency After Deadly Floods Claim 99 Lives, Displace Thousands

By Staff, Agencies

Sudan's Security and Defense Council declared a national state of emergency for three months because of floods that have killed 99 people this year.

The council also designated Sudan a natural disaster zone, state-run Sudan News Agency [SUNA] reported on Saturday.

Meanwhile, the Sudanese minister of labor and social development said in addition to the deaths, floods this year have injured 46 people, inflicted damage on more than half a million people and caused the total and partial collapse of more than 100,000 homes, according to SUNA.

The rates of floods and rain for this year exceeded the records set during the years 1946 and 1988, with expectations of continued rising indicators, minister Lena el-Sheikh added.

The council also announced the formation of a supreme committee headed by the ministry of labor and social development to deal with the ramifications of the floods for the fall of 2020, SUNA said.

Sudan's rainy season begins in June and continues through to October, which means the country experiences floods and torrential rains annually.

The committee warned on Friday the country may face more rains, adding that the water level in the Blue Nile rose to a record 17.58 meters.