Sudan Flood Fatalities Climbing

FILE: A man passes on the side of a flooded road in the town of Alkadro, about (20 km) north of the capital Khartoum, Sudan, Taken 9.5.2020

More than 75 people have been killed, over 12,000 homes destroyed, and over 20,000 damaged by Sudan's seasonal downpours and floods, a senior official said on Sunday.

The death toll since the rainy season kicked off in May stood at 77 people, Brig. Gen. Abdul-Jalil Abdul-Rahim, a spokesman for Sudan's National Council for Civil Defence, told The Associated Press.

The provinces most affected include Al-Jazirah, North Kordofan, South Kordofan, South Darfur and River Nile, he added.

Drone footage from Al-Jazirah province showed a village and surrounding area partially submerged by floodwaters.

A local resident, Badr Al-Din Hessen, said "The environment in general has problems, the water is supposed to be pumped, mosquitoes sprayed and things like that."

He added "This is the work that they (authorities) are supposed to rush into in the coming days, because there are many people who have lost their homes, especially the southern part of the village. People get out from their destroyed homes with only the clothes which they are wearing, we need tents as soon as possible."

Last Monday, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said that more than 136,000 people have been affected by the floods.

The UN agency said it expected this figure to increase as counting was still underway and more heavy rains had been forecast.

Al-Taher Osman, a local resident affected by floods, stated "There are many problems, including health problems for people who have chronic diseases, there are those who have diabetes, there are those who have pressure, there are those who suffer from cartilage, and we didn't get aid or anything in this area."

Sudan's rainy season usually lasts until September, with floods peaking just before then.

Last year, flooding and heavy rain killed more than 80 people and swamped tens of thousands of houses across the country.

In 2020, authorities declared Sudan a natural disaster area and imposed a three-month state of emergency across the country after the deluge killed around 100 people and inundated over 100,000 houses.