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The UN has said no fewer than 20 villages in eastern Sudan have reportedly been “destroyed”, with 70 impacted overall, after floodwaters burst through a major dam
The UN humanitarian agencies stated that the situation had exacerbated the suffering of communities already devastated by the ongoing war between rival military forces.
The Arba'at Dam, located approximately 38 kilometres (24 miles) northwest of Port Sudan, collapsed on Sunday, damaging roads, electricity, and telecommunications networks, making it challenging to assess the situation, according to the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA).
Authorities estimate that around 50,000 people living on the western side of the dam have been severely affected, while the impact on the eastern banks is still being evaluated.
Provincial and federal government teams on the ground are working to open roads and conduct search and rescue operations.
At least 30 fatalities have been confirmed as of Monday, but the actual number of casualties is feared to be much higher.
Severe damage to infrastructure has also been reported, including the collapse of 84 borehole wells and 70 schools that have been fully or partially destroyed. Over 10,000 livestock are also missing.
The Arba'at Dam is the primary source of freshwater for the key city of Port Sudan, which handles the majority of the country's international trade and has been a hub for humanitarian operations since the outbreak of war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), which erupted in April last year.
An inter-agency team led by OCHA has been deployed to the impacted areas and is coordinating with partners and authorities to support a full assessment.
A helicopter is urgently required to assist with aerial assessment as some areas are impassable by road due to flooding, and the aircraft would also boost search and rescue efforts, as some residents are said to have been trapped.
