In a tragic turn of events, at least 60 people have lost their lives after the Arbat dam in Sudan’s Red Sea state collapsed due to heavy rainfall. The dam, which holds a capacity of 25 million cubic meters, serves as the main water source for Port Sudan, where the military government is based.
The dam’s collapse is one of the worst incidents in the region, resulting in the destruction of farms and villages downstream. The ongoing search operations are intensifying as authorities fear the death toll could rise further. Torrential rains and floods have already ravaged the war-torn nation, displacing tens of thousands from their homes.
Local residents describe the devastating impact of the flood. Ali Issa recounted the harrowing scene where people were trapped in cars, unable to escape the rushing waters. Another resident, Moussa Mohamad Moussa, shared that entire areas, including homes, were swept away by the flood.
The heavy rainfall has also led to the destruction of a major fiber-optic cable, causing widespread communication outages across Sudan for the second consecutive day. Rescue operations by the Sudanese air force are underway to reach those trapped in the mountains, as reported by local media.
Omar Issa Tahir, the Director of the Red Sea state’s Water Authority, expressed the dire situation, stating that the flooding had “wiped out the entire area.”
Sudan’s Army Chief, Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan, visited the flood-affected regions, urging federal and state agencies to mobilize all resources to assist citizens and provide necessary support. The ongoing civil war between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army, which began in April, has already forced millions from their homes and pushed multiple states into famine.
The collapse of the Arbat dam and the subsequent floods have only exacerbated the existing humanitarian crisis, deepening the challenges faced by the people of Sudan in the midst of war and extreme weather conditions.