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At least 60 people have died following the catastrophic collapse of a dam in war-torn Sudan, triggered by heavy rainfall. The Arbat dam, which holds 25 million cubic meters of water and serves as the main drinking water source for Port Sudan, burst, causing widespread devastation.
Search operations are ongoing, but officials fear the death toll could rise. The dam’s collapse in Red Sea state has washed away farms and villages downstream, adding to the misery of a country already ravaged by 16 months of civil war.
Local residents described harrowing scenes. Ali Issa told AFP that people were “stuck in seven cars – they tried to get them out but couldn’t.” Another resident, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, recounted that in one area, “all the houses and everything was swept away.”
The torrential rains have also caused significant damage beyond the dam collapse, including disrupting a major fibre-optic cable, leading to a communication blackout in many parts of the country. The air force is reportedly attempting to rescue people trapped in the mountains, where they sought refuge from the floods.
Omar Issa Tahir, Director of the Red Sea state’s Water Authority, described the flooding as having “wiped out the entire area.” Army chief Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan visited the flood-stricken regions, and the army has urged federal and state agencies to provide all possible support to affected citizens.
Sudan, already in the grips of a severe humanitarian crisis due to ongoing conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army, is now facing further hardship. The extreme weather has exacerbated food shortages, with multiple states already declaring famine.
