Would you like to receive notifications on latest updates of the following headlines?

Flooding: 60 Die After Dam Bursts in Sudan’s Red Sea

POSTED ON August 26, 2024 •   LOCAL NEWS      BY Benedicta Bassey
Sudan’s Red Sea/ Photo credit: Arise

At least 60 people have died after the Arbat Dam in Sudan’s Red Sea state burst, following a torrent of water that has devastated the region.

The dam, which holds 25 million cubic meters of water, collapsed under the pressure of heavy rainfall.

Search operations are ongoing, but officials fear the death toll could rise as rescue teams struggle to reach remote areas.

The collapse has washed away farms, villages, and left vast stretches of land unrecognisable.

According to a local resident, simply identified as Ali Issa, "The incident was tragic as many people were stuck in seven cars, they tried to get them out but couldn’t.”

Another resident, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, reported that in one area, “all the houses and everything was swept away.”

The Arbat Dam was a critical source of drinking water for the coastal city of Port Sudan, where the military government is based. Its destruction leaves the city and surrounding areas vulnerable to severe water shortages, adding another layer of hardship to a population already reeling from 16 months of civil war.

Sudan has been embroiled in conflict since April of last year when fighting broke out between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army. T

he violence has displaced millions and led to widespread famine, with multiple states now in desperate need of aid. The onset of torrential rains and subsequent flooding have only worsened the humanitarian crisis, forcing tens of thousands more from their homes.

In addition to the human toll, the floods have caused significant infrastructure damage. A major fiber-optic cable was damaged by the heavy rainfall, leading to a communication blackout in many parts of the country for the second consecutive day, according to the privately owned Radio Dabanga website.

The Sudanese air force is working to rescue people who sought refuge in the mountains, but efforts have been hampered by the challenging conditions.

Omar Issa Tahir, Director of the Red Sea State’s Water Authority, told local news site Akhbar that the flooding had “wiped out the entire area.”

Army chief Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan visited the flood-affected areas, and in a Facebook post, the military urged all “federal and state agencies to utilise all possibilities to help citizens in these regions and provide support and assistance to them.”

READ ALSO
Twelve die in Thailand-Cambodia clashes
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Fighting between Thai and Cambodian forces along their contested border has led to at least 12 fatal...

READ ALSO
LASG Announces Five Major Road Projects in Alimosho to Be Completed by 2025
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 24, 2025 0

The Lagos State Government has revealed that five significant road projects in the Alimosho Local Go...

READ ALSO
Two Businessmen Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Cybercrime
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

A Federal High Court located in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced two businesspersons, Emmanuel Nwanze and...

READ ALSO
Nigeria Police Force Dismantles Notorious Arms Supply Network Linked to Bandits
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

The Nigeria Police Force has successfully intercepted a notorious arms supply network linked to armi...

READ ALSO
Lagos State Mobile Court Prosecutes Five for Illegal Waste Disposal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

At least five individuals have been brought before a mobile court in the Bolade area of Oshodi, Lago...

READ ALSO
Federal High Court Discharges Female Drug Offender on Compassionate Grounds
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

Justice Daniel Osiagor of the Federal High Court in Lagos on Tuesday issued a caution and discharged...

READ ALSO
Military Jet Crash at Dhaka School Claims 31 Lives, Sparks Nationwide Outrage
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

Dhaka, Bangladesh – Grief and anger swept across Bangladesh following the tragic crash of a mi...

READ ALSO
UK Sentenced Traffic Robber to 24 Years for Killing Footballer
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

A court in the United Kingdom has sentenced 27-year-old Oguzcan Dereli to 24 years in prison for the...

OUR CHANNELS:

PDP Shifts National Convention to November, Picks Ibadan Amid Internal Power Struggle
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Abuja, Nigeria  – The People’s Democratic Party (PDP) has announced the postpo...


APC Appoints Yilwatda Nentawe as Chairman, Declares 2027 a ‘Done Deal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Abuja, Nigeria – The National Executive Committee (NEC) of the All Progressives Congress (APC)...


Osun APC, PDP Clash Over Governor Adeleke's Failed Defection Attempt
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The Osun State branches of the All Progressives Congress (APC) and the People’s Democratic Par...


Court Reinstates Benue CJ, Criticizes Alia
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The National Industrial Court in Abuja, on Wednesday, ruled that the Benue State House of Assembly's...


LASG Announces Five Major Road Projects in Alimosho to Be Completed by 2025
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

The Lagos State Government has revealed that five significant road projects in the Alimosho Local Go...


Electricity Tariffs: Power Firms Push Back Against State Negotiations
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

On Wednesday, energy commissioners from all 36 states announced their willingness to engage with pow...


Two Businessmen Sentenced to Two Years in Prison for Cybercrime
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

A Federal High Court located in Ikoyi, Lagos, has sentenced two businesspersons, Emmanuel Nwanze and...


Nigeria Police Force Dismantles Notorious Arms Supply Network Linked to Bandits
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 23, 2025 0

The Nigeria Police Force has successfully intercepted a notorious arms supply network linked to armi...


Maduka Okoye Suspended for Two Months Amid Betting Scandal
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 25, 2025 0

Udinese and Nigerian goalkeeper Maduka Okoye has received a two-month suspension from the Italian Fo...


APC's National Assembly Power Grows to 70 with PDP Senator Defections
BY Abiodun Saheed Omodara July 24, 2025 0

The number of All Progressives Congress (APC) senators in the National Assembly increased to 70 on W...


More Articles

Load more...

Menu