Heavy rains have triggered building collapses in northern Sudan, resulting in 17 deaths amid ongoing conflict between rival security forces.
An anonymous hospital employee in Abu Hamad confirmed the fatalities, adding that power outages have forced residents to sleep outdoors, fearing further rainfall.
Samir Saad, the state’s infrastructure minister, reported that around 11,500 homes have collapsed, and at least 170 people have been injured. Each August, the Nile’s peak flow brings torrential rains that devastate homes, infrastructure, and lives, often exacerbated by water-borne diseases.
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This year’s impact is predicted to worsen due to over a year of conflict that has displaced millions into flood-prone areas.
A witness in Abu Hamad described the collapse of most houses and market shops. In Port Sudan, a flash flood last week claimed five lives. Since July 7, torrential rains and flooding have caused over 30 deaths across Sudan, according to the Federal Emergency Operations Center.
The United Nations reported that rains and flooding have displaced over 21,000 people since June, mainly in areas already suffering from intense fighting. Humanitarian access, already restricted by the conflict, is further hindered by flooded roads, making aid delivery to remote areas nearly impossible.
Sudan is currently experiencing one of the world's worst humanitarian crises, as the conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces shows no signs of ending.
Over 10 million people have been displaced, and the primary conflict zones are on the verge of famine. The UN recently assessed that the nearly half a million residents of Zamzam camp near El-Fasher are already facing famine.
