Death toll rises as flooding continues across Sudan

Heavy rainfall continues across Sudan with several states yet to account for all the victims of recent flooding. 52 deaths have been recorded to date, however this is expected to rise.

As of August 13, a report published by Sudan’s National Council for Civil Defence (UNDRR) said 52 Sudanese people have been killed and another 25 injured by the flooding and torrential rain since May. However, this does not account for many areas of northern and eastern Sudan which have been cut off since the flooding intensified in August.

River Nile state and Kassala in need of aid

In Berber locality, River Nile state, thousands of people affected by torrential rain remain in dire need of humanitarian aid. Hasan, the director of Berber locality, told Radio Dabanga on the Voice of the States programme that at least 25 villages across the state have been damaged. The number of damaged homes has reached 3000, 2000 of which have collapsed completely, he said.

Hasan added that there is a pressing need for extra shelter and food across the state, appealing to humanitarian organistions to intervene.

In Kassala, eastern Sudan, eight people have died and 2,000 houses collapsed in the area of the El Gash River due to ongoing torrential rains and floods. Activists from the region demanded that the El Gash Delta be declared a disaster area. Activist Abu Fatima Onour said on his Facebook page that the El Gash River has turned the villages of the delta into isolated, inaccessible islands. The area remains accessible only by helicopter.

Floods in East Darfur

In Assalaya, East Darfur, the village of Kuleikeli was also subjected to torrential rains that swept away homes and farms.

A youth representative from the area, Ahmed Yahya, said he has appealed to the East Darfur government authorities, and other humanitarian organisations to provide aid and assistance to those affected.

According to Sunday’s report from Sudan’s National Council for Civil Defence, 136,000 people across 12 of Sudan’s states have been affected by heavy rainfall since May. Torrential rain and floods have destroyed roughly 8,900 houses and damaged a further 20,600 across the entire country, the report found.