Dam burst in Sudan, many villages wiped out and dozens dead

Torrential rains triggered floods that breached the Arbaat dam on Sunday, just 40 kilometers north of the capital Port Sudan. The floods displaced diplomats , aid agencies and hundreds of thousands of people.

"The area is unrecognizable. Electricity and water lines have been destroyed," said Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the Red Sea state water authority. Initial reports said between 150 and 200 people were missing.

The Arbaat Dam had already begun to weaken before the flooding began. Photo: AFP

The United Nations said the homes of about 50,000 people had been affected by the floods, citing local authorities, adding that the figure only counted the area west of the dam as the eastern area was inaccessible.

The dam is the main water source for Port Sudan, home to the country's main Red Sea port and operating airport, and receives most of the country's much-needed aid shipments.

Officials said the dam had begun to collapse and mud had accumulated during days of heavy rain that came much earlier than usual.

Sudan’s dams, roads, and bridges were already in disrepair before the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Reaction Forces (RSF) began in April 2023. Since then, both sides have poured much of their resources into the conflict, neglecting infrastructure improvements.

Sudan’s health ministry said some people had fled their flooded homes to the mountains and were now trapped. At least 118,000 people have been displaced and hundreds have died in Sudan’s floods this year, according to UN agencies.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, AFP, Guardian)

Source: https://www.congluan.vn/vo-dap-o-sudan-nhieu-ngoi-lang-bi-xoa-so-va-hang-chuc-nguoi-thiet-mang-post309401.html