Sudan Flood Crisis: Death Toll Rises to 132, Thousands Displaced

By Staff, Agencies

The death toll from flooding in war-torn Sudan has climbed to 132 as relentless heavy rains, exacerbated by the collapse of a critical dam, continue to devastate the country, according to a report from the Health Ministry.

Sudan's Health Ministry announced on Monday that the death toll had risen to 132 following a severe rainy season that began last month, causing intermittent torrential flooding, primarily in the northern and eastern regions.

The latest figures reveal that approximately 12,420 homes have been completely destroyed, with an additional 11,472 suffering partial damage, predominantly in Sudan's Northern and River Nile states.

The report highlighted that ten states have been impacted by the floods, displacing 31,666 families and affecting a total of roughly 129,650 individuals.

On Saturday, heavy rainfall inundated the Arbaat region, located 25 miles [40 km] north of Port Sudan, leading to the catastrophic collapse of the Arbaat Dam, which obliterated entire villages.

This dam serves as a crucial water supply for Port Sudan, the Red Sea city that assumed administrative capital status following the outbreak of conflict in Khartoum.

The timing of the rainfall is unusual, as the region typically experiences such weather between November and March. The collapse of the Arbaat Dam swept away villages, homes and vehicles, leaving dozens missing and feared dead, according to local media reports.

"The area is unrecognizable. The electricity and water pipes are destroyed," said Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the water authority for Red Sea state, in a message to his staff.

Local volunteers engaged in relief efforts told AFP that "13 people have been found dead, including women and children, while the search continues for 210 others who remain missing."

A UN report released early Tuesday indicated that a government delegation at the site reported that the homes of about 50,000 people had been affected by the disaster, leaving them in dire need of water, food and shelter.

The report noted that these figures only accounted for the area west of the dam, as the region to the east remains inaccessible.

Additionally, damage to the telecommunications network has hampered efforts to gather more accurate information on the situation.

Even before the conflict erupted last April between the Sudanese army, led by Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, commanded by his former deputy Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, Sudan's infrastructure – dams, roads and bridges – was already in a state of disrepair.

According to the UN refugee agency, about 25 million people, or half of Sudan's population, are in urgent need of humanitarian aid and protection.

The nation is grappling with severe shortages of food, water, medicine, and fuel, alongside a deadly cholera outbreak.

The ongoing conflict has triggered the world’s largest displacement crisis, with over 10.7 million people displaced and more than 2 million fleeing to neighboring countries, according to the International Organization for Migration [IOM].