Humanitarian Aid Commissioner calls for concerted effort to assist flood-affected in Sudan

Sudan’s Humanitarian Aid Commissioner, Najmedeen Abdelkarim, has launched an appeal to all local and international organisations to provide urgent humanitarian support to those affected by torrential rains and floods in various parts of Sudan.

The head of the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC) called on “all concerned government agencies, local and international civil society organisations, employers and national business to intervene to mitigate the damage caused by torrential rains and Nile floods on the Sudanese public”.

The call follows field survey conducted by HAC on all regions of Sudan, which led to a transition from the emergency phase to the actual intervention phase to ward-off the effects of torrential rains and floods.

Abdelkarim confirmed the launch of convoys from the Ministry of Social Development with all its units to the affected areas.

As reported this week by Radio Dabanga, the official death toll from floods and torrential rains this year has risen to at least 24 across the states of Sudan. Many of the victims died from electrocution, or when buildings and houses collapsed.

In a press statement yesterday the Sudanese National Council for Civil Defence said that an estimated 819 houses have been completely destroyed, and a further 1,572 partially destroyed, since the beginning of the floods. The highest number of deaths (10) has been reported in River Nile state this year.

In an update published this week, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan points out that heavy rains and flash flooding have so far affected eight out of 18 states across the country affecting over 12,200 people. Homes, infrastructure, and farmland have been either damaged or destroyed. Over 800 homes have reportedly been destroyed and over 4,400 homes damaged. States affected include El Gezira, El Gedaref, North Kordofan, River Nile state, South Darfur, South Kordofan, West Darfur, and White Nile state. Assessments are ongoing to confirm the number of people affected and identify their needs, OCHA says.