The UN reports that a disastrous dam failure in eastern Sudan has destroyed over 20 villages and claimed the lives of at least 30 people. The Arbaat Dam, located 40 kilometers north of Port Sudan, was overrun by heavy rains on Sunday, causing the calamity. The area, which is already devastated by the aftermath of a protracted civil war, is about to experience even more destruction.
The region is “unrecognizable,” according to Omar Eissa Haroun, the chairman of the Red Sea state’s water administration, with vital infrastructure—such as water pipes and electricity—completely devastated. About 50,000 people’s homes are affected west of the dam, and local officials have stated that 150 to 200 individuals are still missing. The fact that the eastern area is still inaccessible raises questions about the actual scope of the catastrophe.
The dam, which provided Port Sudan with its main supply of water, is now in disrepair, putting the metropolis of more than 500,000 residents at risk of acute water shortages. The Sudanese Environmentalists Association issued a warning, saying, “The city is threatened with thirst in the coming days.”
The ongoing struggle between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has further degraded Sudan’s infrastructure, which is further eroding as torrential rains continue to pound the region. The war started in April 2023, and since then, resources have been redirected to fuel the conflict, hindering efforts to maintain vital infrastructure.
The government’s rainy season task force announced on Monday that over 118,000 people have been displaced by this year’s rains, bringing the total number of flood-related deaths in Sudan to 132. The humanitarian catastrophe has worsened as a result of the battle, which started as a power struggle between the army and RSF and has left half of Sudan’s 50 million people without enough food.
After the tragedy, there have been continuous efforts to find the missing and assist the displaced, but there are still many obstacles to overcome because a large portion of the impacted area is still inaccessible. The size of the calamity has prompted comparisons with the disastrous floods that occurred in Derna, Libya, last year and resulted in thousands of deaths.
The twin perils of war and natural disasters are driving Sudan deeper into crisis as international attempts to mediate peace in the country continue to fail.