Homes, roads swept away in Central Darfur flash floods

Torrential rains in Nierteti locality in Central Darfur caused flash floods that seriously damaged or destroyed more than 750 houses and washed away several roads last week. Hundreds of people in the area are now living in the open without shelter.

Speaking to Radio Dabanga from Central Darfur, correspondent Adam Okar told Radio Dabanga that after heavy rainfall on Thursday, Friday, and Saturday, floods and torrents led to the collapse of 341 houses and damaged another 435 houses in the villages of Koy, Mara, Keweila, and Borongo, 25 km east of Nierteti town.

The floods made many roads in the area impassable and some sections were swept away by, which has made the provision of assistance difficult.

Okar appealed to humanitarian organisations and locality and state authorities to expedite the provision of aid to the affected people who are now living in the open.

14 dead

As reported by Radio Dabanga on Friday, at least 14 people have been reported dead in Kassala, El Gedaref, and River Nile state, after torrential rains and flooding continued in Sudan.

In Kassala, eastern Sudan, eight people died as a result of torrential rains that swept through the villages in Reefi Aroma. Water-borne disease has been reported in the villages.

Yesterday, a meeting of the High Committee for Civil Defence and Rainy Season Emergencies was held in Kassala. The deputy director of Reefi Aroma explained that the locality has become a disaster area, after El Gash river deviated from its natural course. This has led to water sweeping through all locality villages except those in the west.

About 23 villages are cut off by the water, with approximately 8,500 villagers affected.

Widespread flooding

On August 5, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan, confirmed that torrential rains have led to flooding, landslides, and damage to houses and infrastructure in at least 14 of the 18 states across the country.

“More than 50,000 people have been affected in West Kordofan, South Kordofan, Sennar, El Gezira, South Darfur, East Darfur, North Darfur, Red Sea, Blue Nile, White Nile, River Nile, Khartoum, Kassala and Northern states, according to the preliminary data from the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC). The numbers are expected to rise as the results of more assessments become available,” the OCHA report states.

OCHA says that government agencies, led by HAC, and aid organisations are closely monitoring the situation and providing life-saving assistance to people affected.