The devastating floods sweeping across Sudan have further compounded the existing humanitarian crisis, leaving hundreds of thousands displaced and struggling for survival. The situation is particularly dire in areas already impacted by the ongoing conflict, where families have lost everything.
Ahmed Hadab, who lost his home in eastern Sudan, describes the desperate situation: “We don’t have any food,” he said after days of walking, “The sorghum and flour was taken by the torrent, and two of my goats and my donkey.” Hadab and his family are surviving by drinking a mixture of water and milk from their last remaining goat.
Near the town of Tokar, people were seen pulling each other from floodwaters onto the remnants of a bridge using ropes. The Arbaat Dam in the Red Sea State collapsed on Sunday, threatening the freshwater supply for Port Sudan, a vital hub for the government, aid agencies, and hundreds of thousands of displaced people. At least 64 people from the area are missing, and many others are stranded on higher ground with little hope of rescue.
The floods have also impacted Darfur, where millions are already facing extreme hunger. Displacement camps have been damaged by the rain, delaying crucial aid deliveries according to the World Food Programme.
The United Nations estimates that over 300,000 people have been affected by the flooding, which has also brought cholera for the second consecutive year. As of Wednesday, 1,351 cases have been reported, but the actual number is likely much higher due to limited access for the army-aligned health ministry to areas controlled by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF).
Abulgasim Musa, head of Sudan’s Early Warning meteorological unit, attributes the extreme rainfall in desert areas to climate change, stating that his unit had issued warnings in May. The floods have overwhelmed the already underfunded and overstretched aid effort. Limited construction vehicles are struggling to help transport people across the floodwaters and repair roads for escape.
Mohamed Tahir, who joined scores of others on the roads, described the desperate situation: “Homes are collapsed. There’s some who have been taken by the water and not been found,” Tahir said. “There are some who have died and they haven’t been buried.”
