Sudan dam collapse leaves at least 60 dead, hundreds missing

Arbaat Dam in eastern Sudan collapsed on Sunday, causing severe flooding that has killed at least 60 people, with hundreds still missing, a Sudanese official reported on Monday.

Omer Issa Tahir, head of the Red Sea State's Water Corporation, added that the dam burst has devastated villages near Port Sudan, the capital of the state.

He emphasized the urgent need for interventions in the dam area and surrounding villages, highlighting risks such as scorpion and snake bites for those who climbed mountains to escape the water.

"The priority is to evacuate those trapped by the flooding," Tahir said, adding that rescue teams are currently working to reach them.

Local media said the dam collapse, caused by heavy rains, led to intense flooding filled with silt, destroying nearby villages and making rescue efforts difficult.

The dam, located about 20 kilometers north of Port Sudan, had a reservoir with a capacity of 25 million cubic meters and was a major water source for the city.

The UN reported that heavy rains and flooding have affected around 317,000 people across the war-torn country since June. The Sudanese Meteorological Authority expects the rains and flooding to continue until mid-September.

Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to agricultural land.

This year's rainy season has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which is already grappling with a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

Since it began on April 15, 2023, the conflict has resulted in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to the most recent UN data.

(Cover: Sudanese people cross a damaged road after the collapse of the Arbaat Dam following heavy rains and torrential floods in eastern Sudan, August 25, 2024. /CFP)