Rain, winds destroy 2,700 shelters in South Darfur camp

Hundreds of families are living in the open without shelter after torrential rains and wind, accompanied by flash floods, ravaged Kalma camp for the displaced near Nyala in South Darfur.

Hussein Abusharati, the spokesman for the Darfur Displaced and Refugees Association told Radio Dabanga that a mosque, a school, and at least 2,700 homes collapsed, while a woman and her three-month-old baby were injured.

“The rains and floods lasted for five hours,” Abusharati said. “The shelters mostly collapsed in Block 8. About 300 latrines were also destroyed.” He named the injured woman as Amouna Adam.

“The floods and rain led to the evacuation of the whole of Block 1. Thiose people were moved to the Beleil area and other blocks in the camp.

He appealed to the United Nations, the government, and humanitarian organisations to speed-up the provision of tents, blankets and food to those affected.

Eastern Sudan

On Monday in eastern Sudan, torrential rains accompanied by winds and tornadoes in El Gedaref state caused the collapse of 42 electricity towers and the partial collapse of the rooves and walls of 10 schools and a large number of houses, shops and institutions in El Gedaref town and the neighbouring villages.

Residents reported to Radio Dabanga a total power failure in four localities for a full day, while power cuts continued on Tuesday and Wednesday owing to the collapse of high-tension towers connecting the El Gedaref transformer station with the distribution station.

Yesterday residents told this station that storms and power cuts led to a shortage of bread and a rise in ice prices in El Gedaref markets. The power cuts also made it difficult for residents to do their evening shopping to buy Eid supplies as the fasting month of Ramadan draws to a close.