A catastrophic event has struck the Red Sea state in Sudan as the “Arba’at” dam, located approximately 20 kilometers from Port Sudan, collapsed due to severe flooding and heavy rains that have battered the country in recent weeks.
The dam’s collapse triggered devastating floods and torrents that swept through several villages surrounding the dam, resulting in the death of dozens. Rescue operations are severely hampered as authorities struggle to reach those trapped or who have taken refuge in the mountains, facing threats from scorpions and snakes.
The Arba’at dam, a crucial water source for the coastal city of Port Sudan, has a reservoir capacity of 25 million cubic meters. Residents of Port Sudan had relied primarily on groundwater from wells in the Arba’at area and water from “Khor Arba’at.” The dam was constructed in 2003 to collect rainwater for use during the dry season, but it had not undergone regular maintenance in several years, contributing to its failure.
This disaster compounds the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which has been plagued by ongoing conflict for over a year, a cholera outbreak, and severe shortages of water and food.
Reports indicate that the death toll may rise as many people remain missing. Local officials have called for urgent aid for the affected communities and emphasize the need for sustainable solutions to address the region’s water crisis.
