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August 27, 2024 (Port Sudan) – At least 30 people were killed when a dam collapsed during heavy rains in eastern Sudan, the local government said on Monday.
The Arbat Dam, located 40 kilometers north of Port Sudan, was severely damaged by heavy rains, resulting in the destruction of about 20 villages.
The actual death toll is likely higher, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), which noted that about 70 villages around the dam were affected by the floods.
In the area west of the dam, flooding destroyed or damaged the homes of 50,000 people, about 77% of the local population.
The Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs warned that affected people are in urgent need of food, water and shelter.
OCHA cited local authorities as saying that the floods caused more than 80 boreholes to collapse, 10,000 livestock to go missing and 70 schools to be damaged or destroyed.
Heavy rains and flooding across Sudan have affected 317,000 people this month, with the United Nations saying 118,000 of those affected have been displaced, exacerbating one of the world’s largest displacement crises caused by the country’s ongoing fighting.
But our humanitarian colleagues fear that the toll could be much higher, given the large number of people missing or displaced.
Some villagers were reportedly forced to seek refuge in the mountains, while others were evacuated.
About 50,000 people living on the west side of the dam have had their homes destroyed or damaged, and are in desperate need of water, food, shelter and assistance. That’s according to the authorities, of course.
The extent of the impact on the east coast is still to be assessed as roads have been cut off and local rescue teams are trying to open them.
An inter-agency team led by OCHA has been deployed to the affected areas.
The statement stressed that the team is coordinating with partners and authorities and will support assessments to further determine the extent of the damage and the most urgent humanitarian needs of the people.
The team will also help coordinate the government-led response.
The damage to the dam is expected to have wider implications as it is the main source of fresh water for Port Sudan and will affect water supplies there.
Floods have reportedly hit many parts of Sudan since the start of rains in June, with North Darfur, West Darfur and the Nile states being the worst hit.
However, before the dam collapsed on Sunday, more than 310,000 people were affected by flooding across the country, and we don’t need to remind you that there is conflict going on there.
(English stone)
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