At least 30 perish as dam bursts in Sudan

PORT SUDAN: At least 30 people perished when the Arbaat dam burst, located about 40 kilometers north of Port Sudan due to relentless rains.

The resulting floods resulted has caused extensive damage to an already troubled region, with fears of the death toll to continue to rise.

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The breach swept through about 20 villages, leaving significant destruction in its path. There are reports of severe damage to essential services, including the disruption of electricity and water supplies.

According to reports, emergency responders were searching for around 150 to 200 people who are reported missing.

The scale of the disaster has been likened to the catastrophic floods that hit Derna, Libya last year, where similar conditions led to substantial loss of life and infrastructure damage.

According to the United Nations, around 50,000 residences were affected by the ensuing floods, with the extent of damage remaining unclear due as of now.

The Arbaat Dam was essential for supplying water to Port Sudan, home to the country’s main Red Sea port and critical for aid distribution. The Sudanese Environmentalists Association warned that Port Sudan could face severe water shortages in the coming days.

The dam burst has been exacerbated by an ongoing conflict between the Sudanese military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), since April 2023.

The civil war has diverted resources away from important infrastructure maintenance, with the dam’s structural issues worsening overtime due to heavy rainfall and silt buildup.

The floods have displaced over 118,000 people this year alone. The ongoing conflict has further worsened the humanitarian situation, leaving millions without adequate food and shelter.

The Arbaat Dam is critical for Sudan managing its seasonal rainfall in the arid region, with a reservoir capacity of 25 million cubic meters.

Rescue and relief efforts is also proving to be difficult in the region due to communication breakdown. There is no mobile or cellular service in the affected region,

While the Sudanese government mobilised resources to assist the affected, and the top military general traveled to the disaster zone to “oversee” relief operations, there is little hope for those affected.