Sudan floods: 52 dead, hundreds left poverty-stricken by torrential downpours

Sudanese authorities stated that 52 people have died as a result of the torrential rains which have flooded various areas throughout Sudan. The torrential downpour, which usually occurs between May and October, has also resulted in 25 injuries as well as the destruction of thousands of homes, much-needed infrastructure, and agricultural lands.

In a press statement, the spokesperson for the National Council for Civil Defence of the Sudanese Police, Brig Abdeljalil Rahim, described the flooding as a “chronic problem that remote cities and villages were in constant fear of”.

He also warned of the heavy rain expected to fall this month, adding that the damage to farming lands by torrential rain is said to have destroyed an estimated 540 acres.

More than 750 families were severely impacted by flooding that occurred in El Gezira and Sennar on Saturday. The Secretary General of El Gezira said that more than 750 houses were entirely destroyed and more than 500 were partially affected. The families of the hundreds impacted by the floods throughout the state were in “critical humanitarian condition and in need of food, shelter, and medical attention”, according to the secretary general.

In Katila in South Darfur, Saturday’s torrential rains resulted in the countless destruction of properties. The exact extent of the destruction has not yet been properly accounted for. Those impacted by Saturday’s flood in South Darfur are reportedly unable to find food, even for their young children. The flood-stricken locals appealed to various humanitarian organisations and benefactors to intervene urgently.

The Director General of the Dams Implementation Unit in Sudan, Mohamed Noureldin, confirmed that the Um Dafouk Dam in South Darfur was not affected, despite the recent torrential downpour that fell in the slopes of Jebel Marra.

In a press conference, the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources sated that “they will work to reconsider many designs that come in the future, so that the dam is not affected, and land erosion does not occur”. Due to the lack of budget, the ministry has served as an early warning system, alerting people along the drains to take the necessary precautions.