Africa

Africa

Sudan dam collapse destroys 20 villages, UN reports

27 August 2024 23:00 (UTC +04:00)

Around 20 villages in Sudan have reportedly been destroyed as floodwaters burst through the Arba’at Dam, causing at least 30 fatalities, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a report, APA reports quoting TASS.

On Sunday, "the Arba’at Dam, located approximately 38 km northwest of Port Sudan in Sudan's Red Sea State, reportedly suffered extensive damage due to heavy rains," OCHA reported. "Thirty fatalities have been confirmed by the local authorities. However, the number of casualties could be much higher," it added.

Lots of people are missing. According to OCHA, "about 70 villages around Arba’at Dam have reportedly been affected, <…> of which 20 villages have been destroyed."

Around 50,000 people living on the western side of the dam have been affected, with 84 borehole wells collapsing and 10,000 livestock missing, the Sudanese authorities said. Since the rains began in June, floods "have wreaked havoc across many parts" of the country, with North and West Darfur as well as the River Nile Province being the most affected, OCHA said.