Seasonal torrential rains have continued in most of Sudan over the past week resulting in more flooding, loss of lives and damages to houses and other key infrastructures, the U.N. Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs said in a report.
UNOCHA said as of 12 August, more than 185,000 people had been affected in 17 states, an increase of about 135,000 people during the week according to initial data from the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC).
Gezira and Kassala are the hardest hit states with almost 28,000 and about 27,000 people affected respectively, followed by Red Sea, North Kordofan, South Darfur, West Kordofan and Northern states, according to HAC.
At least 14 schools have been damaged and over 1,600 water sources are contaminated or non-functional. The storms have affected livelihoods with more than 1,200 livestock lost and several hectares of crops affected in the middle of the agricultural season, the report said.
16 people were killed by flash floods including two internally displaced people from Otash settlement in South Darfur and three other people living in displacement camps in North Darfur, according to UNHCR.
The collapse of the Bout Earth Dam in the Blue Nile state risks compromising access to water for over 100,000 people living in its vicinity, said UNOCHA.
The severe damages of the dam cause in the embarkment of the dam in two different areas caused the release of 5 million cubic meters of water that flooded at least 13 neighbourhoods in Bout town, the report said.
Risks of disease outbreaks increase as residents of Bout turn to using water from open sources, combined with poor sanitation and open defecation practices, according to humanitarians.
“The Sudan Meteorological Authority has warned that more heavy rains are expected during August and September in most of the country, which can lead to further flooding and displacement,” said UNOCHA.
The Government, led by HAC, and humanitarian partners are closely monitoring the situation and providing life-saving assistance to people who lost their houses, food and livelihood.
