No fewer than four persons have been killed and many injured as a result of the collapse of a dam in northeastern Sudan. The collapse was caused by flooding after a heavy rainfall.
According to the country’s Federal Ministry of Health, in a statement released late Sunday, the Arbaat Dam north of Port Sudan collapsed due to floodwaters.
A local official quoted by Sudanese news outlet al-Taghyeer said the death toll could rise to 60 as many people are still missing, while many more are seriously injured.
However, the ministry noted that it is on top of the situation as resources had been deployed to the area to help those stranded.
Local sources told reporters on Monday morning that people were trapped in vehicles and houses.
The Arbaat Dam is the main water supply for Port Sudan, the Red Sea city that became the administrative capital, as the main capital, Khartoum, is engulfed in fighting.
Experts say Port Sudan and the surrounding area may face severe shortages of drinking water as a result of the dam collapse.
Countries in the Sahel region have been dealing with severe flooding due to heavy rainfalls. Some of the most hit countries include Sudan, Mali, Nigeria, and Niger. Last weekend, Mali declared a state of national disaster over floods that have killed over 30 people this year.