Sudan flooding kills at least 132 as dam collapse wipes out scores of villages

Arbaat Dam in the east of the country collapsed following heavy rainfall

At least 132 people have died in flooding caused by heavy rain this month in northern Sudan, authorities have said.

The collapse of a dam this week in eastern Sudan unleashed flash floods that inundated and damaged scores of villages, adding to the death toll.

On Monday, the UN said at least 20 villages were wiped out and at least 30 people died when the Arbaat Dam, north of the city of Port Sudan on the Red Sea, collapsed under pressure from surging water, following heavy rains.

Flooding adds to the woes of Sudan, which has been torn apart by civil war for the past 16 months.

“The area is unrecognisable. The electricity and water pipes are destroyed,” Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the water authority for Red Sea state, told his staff in a WhatsApp message, reported Reuters.

Between 150 and 200 people are missing, Reuters said.

The homes of about 50,000 people west of the dam were affected by the flooding, the UN said, citing local authorities. However, it said the true figure is likely higher, as areas east of the dam were inaccessible due to flooding.

Arbaat Dam was the main source of water for Port Sudan, the temporary seat of Sudan's government and location of the country's main Red Sea port and international airport.

Late on Monday, authorities said 10 provinces have been affected by flooding this month, causing the collapse of 12,240 homes and partially damaging 11,472 others.

At least 118,000 people have been displaced by the rains this year, according to UN agencies.

Deadly flooding is common in Sudan between the months of July and October when parts of the country are hit by heavy rainfall. The Blue Nile and White Nile also overflow during that time of year too, causing floods.

Most damage comes from the Blue Nile, which thunders down into Sudan from the Ethiopian Highlands. The Blue Nile and White Nile meet in Sudan's capital Khartoum.

The civil war in Sudan has pitted the army against the Rapid Support Forces paramilitary group. Tens of thousands of people have been killed in the fighting and more than 10 million displaced, of whom two million have crossed into neighbouring countries.

More than half of Sudan's estimated 50 million people are facing acute hunger, with famine declared this month at a large displacement camp in the western Darfur region. A cholera outbreak this month has killed dozens of people.

Agreement was reached this month at peace talks in Geneva for two corridors to be used for the delivery of humanitarian aid. Negotiations featured the UAE, the US, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Switzerland, the UN and the African Union.

However, the talks, which were boycotted by Sudan's military, made little headway towards achieving a ceasefire.

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Al Shafie Ahmed reported from Kampala, Uganda.