Death, houses collapse in Sudan floods

Unrelenting rainfall and severe floods caused the death of a woman in Kabkabiya locality, North Darfur on Wednesday. Roads became impassable in West Darfur’s El Geneina. In North Kordofan more than 700 houses were washed away by floods.

A farmer told Radio Dabanga from Kabkabiya that she and other displaced farmers were returning from their lands on Wednesday evening, when they were hit by a cloudburst.

“When we attempted to cross Kabkabiya Valley, a flash flood swept my neighbour from her feet. She went under several times before we could rescue her but she died while being transferred to the hospital,” she said. “Another woman slipped in the mud and broke a leg.”

Drains

In El Geneina, capital of West Darfur, the main roads were cut by flooding on Wednesday night. “The downpours also destroyed a number of shops,” a resident reported.

He said that the population of the town accuse the West Darfur government of “wasting millionss on the construction of drains that collapsed in the first heavy rainfall”.

No shelter

In Um Dubban village, North Kordofan, more than 700 houses collapsed because of the heavy rains.

A resident reported to Radio Dabanga from Um Dubban, in Bara locality, that a number of the affected families have taken shelter at the village mosque.

“The others are living in the open. The people lost all their belongings and a number of livestock drowned as well.”

He appealed via Radio Dabanga to the governor of North Kordofan and the local authorities to “immediately intervene and help the victims”.