The number of Sudanese states affected by heavy rainfall has risen to 11 out of 18, with 173 fatalities and 505 injuries reported, according to the Sudanese Ministry of Health.
The Ministry’s Autumn Emergency Room reported that the cumulative number of affected states now stands at 11, covering 56 localities and 540 areas. Over 38,000 families and more than 170,000 individuals have been impacted by the severe weather.
According to the Ministry of Health, the most affected states are Kassala, Red Sea, Gedaref, Northern, South Kordofan, and West Kordofan. The less impacted states include Khartoum, Gezira, North Darfur, Sennar, and White Nile.
The heavy rains have resulted in the total destruction of 18,665 homes and partial damage to 14,947 homes.
In addition to the heavy rainfall in Kassala in eastern Sudan, seasonal river flooding has caused significant damage, impacting agricultural lands and residents’ homes.
Authorities in Kassala have warned of ongoing flooding from the Qash River and urged residents along the riverbanks to relocate. Basmate Al-Imam, the Minister of Infrastructure and Urban Development in Kassala, noted that the Qash River flood has severely affected several localities, particularly the Aroma and North Delta areas, which serve as the river’s confluence.
According to the latest statistics from the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), over 32,370 people have been affected by the heavy rains and flooding in eastern Sudan since the rains began in June. This includes approximately 13,843 individuals in Kassala, 16,686 in the Red Sea state, and 1,662 in Gedaref.
Heavy rains in the Red Sea and Nile River states last week also caused the closure of the “Haya-Attabara” national road, which connects Port Sudan to cities in northern and central Sudan.
Since June, Sudan has experienced unprecedented rainfall, which has hampered efforts to deliver humanitarian aid to those affected and exacerbated the humanitarian crisis due to the ongoing conflict that has persisted since mid-April 2023.
