Drinking water scarce in Sirba, West Darfur

Several water pumps and engines in West Darfur are out of service, causing a scarcity of drinking water for residents of camps in Sirba locality.

A coordinator of the camps for displaced people in Sirba told Radio Dabanga that the displaced people in Kendebe, Abu Suruj, and Saraf Jidad camps are coping with stalled water pumps. “The shortage has lasted for a month, and the situation has recently worsened because of the heavy rains, flooding the traditional water wells.

“About 16 out of 19 water pumps have stalled inside Sirba locality. In Kendebe, 8 out of 10 water pumps are not operating. 21 out of 28 pumps in Abu Suruj have stalled, and 5 out of 6 in Saraf Jidad.”

He said that the only water which the residents of Elban Jadeed area depend on, is neither operative.

The coordinator expressed hope that state authorities and humanitarian organisations speed up the reparations of the pumps and water engines in Sirba.

In El Geneina, the capital of West Darfur, people also suffer from a severe shortage of drinking water. The price of a barrel of water rose to SDG40 ($6.55) last March.

People in West Kordofan's El Odeya also complained about a lack of water in their area last week.