Sudan - August 27, 2024

Survivors of a flood following a dam breach in eastern Sudan are appealing for assistance from local government to rescue the hundreds of people who remain missing and to secure alternative water sources for those affected.

Emergency responders are scrambling to determine the number of people still missing after the collapse of the Arbaat Dam in Red Sea State on Sunday. The floodwaters bursting through the dam submerged 20 surrounding villages, destroyed farms, and killed livestock.

Ongoing search and relief operations are also facing obstacles due to the destruction of roads.

Located about 20 kilometers north of Port Sudan, the dam is built on a reservoir with a capacity of 25 million cubic meters and served as a major water source for the city. The reservoir was built to collect and store rainwater during the rainy season, guaranteeing year-round water access.

The dam collapse now threatens to trigger acute water shortages throughout the region.

The United Nations reported that heavy rains and flooding have affected around 317,000 people across the war-torn country since June. The Sudanese Meteorological Authority expects the rains and flooding to continue until mid-September.

Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to farmland.

Shotlist:
Red Sea State, Sudan - Aug 27, 2024:
1. Various of floodwaters, lodged crops;
2. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed with English) Malehashim Mohamed, farmer:
"We lost everything, and we could barely rescue our families. The water washed away our farms, vehicles, livestock and crops. It's the worst water flow I've seen in my life. We need the government to rescue people who are still stuck behind the mountain, we need them to dig wells so we can have clean water at least.";
3. Various of destroyed houses, rubbles;
4. SOUNDBITE (Arabic, dubbed with English) Malealsir Othman, resident:
"I never saw such an amount of water in my life, we were lucky that we were awake, and we could escape with our children. We need the government to fix the roads and rescue other villagers, we want them to increase efforts and find alternative water sources for us and for millions of people.";
5. Various of floodwaters, lodged plants.

[Restriction - No access Chinese mainland/Al-Arabiya TV/Middle East Broadcasting Center]
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