Flooding kills scores as Sudan grapples with civil war

Flooding in Sudan has claimed at least 132 lives, according to state-run news agency SUNA, highlighting the severe impact on the northeast African country already grappling with a civil war. The recent floods, caused by heavy rains and the collapse of a dam, have ravaged villages across 10 provinces, destroying over 12,000 homes and affecting more than 30,000 families.

The most significant loss of life occurred in the northwest Red Sea State, where the collapse of the Arba’at Dam in Port Sudan resulted in at least 30 fatalities, as reported by the United Nations emergency relief agency. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) has warned that the death toll may rise as many remain missing and displaced. In response to the floods, some residents have sought refuge in the mountains while others have been evacuated.

OCHA also highlighted that damage to telecommunications infrastructure has hindered efforts to gather accurate information about the situation. The agency noted that the destruction of the dam, which was a primary source of freshwater for Port Sudan, would severely impact water supplies and further exacerbate the humanitarian crisis in the Red Sea State.

This latest round of flooding compounds the damage from previous floods that have afflicted Sudan since June, displacing over 100,000 people. Scientists attribute the increasing frequency and severity of extreme weather events to the human-caused climate crisis, with Sudan being one of the most climate-vulnerable countries facing severe rainfall, flooding, and droughts.

Adding to the crisis, the year-long civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced over 10 million people and resulted in at least 18,000 deaths. Additionally, more than half of Sudan’s population faces acute hunger, as reported by OCHA last month.