DEADLY DAM COLLAPSE IN SUDAN CLAIMS AT LEAST 60 LIVES AMID SEVERE FLOODING
At least 60 people have been killed after a dam burst due to heavy rainfall in war-torn Sudan. Search operations are currently underway, but there are fears that the death toll could be even higher.
The Arbat dam, which holds 25 million cubic metres of water, serves as the primary source of drinking water for Port Sudan, the coastal city where the military government is based.
Following 16 months of civil war, Sudan is now grappling with torrential rains and floods that have claimed dozens of lives and displaced tens of thousands. The dam’s collapse in Red Sea state has led to one of the worst incidents, sweeping away farms and villages downstream.
Local resident Ali Issa recounted to AFP news agency that people were “stuck in seven cars they tried to get them out but couldn’t.” Another resident, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, reported that in one area “all the houses and everything was swept away.”
The heavy rains have also caused significant damage to a major fibre-optic cable in Sudan, resulting in a communication outage across many parts of the country for the second consecutive day, according to the privately owned Radio Dabanga.
The air force has been engaged in rescue operations, attempting to help those trapped after seeking refuge in the mountains, as reported by local newspaper Merdameek.
Omar Issa Tahir, Director of the Red Sea state’s Water Authority, informed local news site Akhbar that the flooding had “wiped out the entire area.”
Army chief Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan visited the affected areas, and in a Facebook post, the army urged all “federal and state agencies to utilize all possibilities to help citizens in these regions and provide support and assistance to them.”
Since fighting erupted between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army in April, Sudan has been in turmoil.
The conflict has displaced millions and led to famine declarations in multiple states. The extreme weather conditions are expected to worsen the already dire food shortages.
