Sudan capital awash after heavy downpours

The Sudanese capital of Khartoum, at the confluence of the White and Blue Nile, experienced torrential rains that lasted for several hours, causing extensive flooding in much of the city, forcing services, shops, and traffic to come to a halt.

In addition, the rains caused a number of houses to collapse and a number of vehicles to sink.

The rains stopped the movement in markets, pharmacies, street traffic and caused the absence of a large number of government and private sector employees.

The Ministry of Education in Khartoum state accordingly suspended the classes of all state schools and kindergartens until after the holiday of Eid Al Adha.

A Khartoum policemen attempts to direct traffic through the flooded streets (RD)

El Gedaref

In El Gedaref state, floods and rains swept through most of the villages in the locality of El Faw, resulting in the collapse of a large number of houses and property losses.

An official from El Faw told Radio Dabanga “floods have been encircling the villages 17, 15, 13, 10 and Miger 5 for days “.

He explained that the residents are unable to reach El Faw due to floods despite the short distance.

They appealed to the government and the organisations to fairly intervene to rescue and provide accommodation aids for the affected people in the villages of El Faw.

A lorry is overcome in Khartoum (RD)

Flooding chaos in Khartoum (RD)

Swollen Nile

Heavy rains over the past weeks have severely swollen the entire Nile river. Yesterday, 22 school children and a hospital employee were drowned when a boat capsized and sank in the Nile at El Buheira locality in River Nile state.

As reported by Radio Dabanga yesterday, at least 23 more people have died in Sudan in flash floods following heavy rains in the past three weeks. According to official statistics, rains and flash floods have left at least 61 others injured and displaced more than 8,900 families since July 23.