Rain and floods add to misery of
Sudanese displaced by war
As a deluge of rain
exacerbates the suffering of over a million Sudanese who sought safety in the
area from a 15-month-old war, thousands of people are stuck on the streets of
Kassala, in eastern Sudan.
The start of the rainy
season earlier this month has already harmed shelters, rendered highways
impassable, and increased the risk of water-borne illnesses for millions of
people throughout a significant portion of the nation.
This occurs while the
paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continue to enlarge their territory in
the conflict with the national army, adding to the already alarming number of
displaced persons in Sudan—more than 10 million at this point.
Since the conflict
broke out in April 2023, there have been numerous hunger alerts and what the UN
has called the greatest humanitarian crisis in history.
The United Nations
reports that some 765,000 people are seeking shelter in Gedaref state and over
255,000 people are in Kassala state, which experienced the worst of the rain
over the weekend.
Since the conflict
broke out in April 2023, there have been numerous hunger alerts and what the UN
has called the greatest humanitarian crisis in history.
The United Nations
reports that some 765,000 people are seeking shelter in Gedaref state and over
255,000 people are in Kassala state, which experienced the worst of the rain
over the weekend.
Sennar state is home to
the majority of the 165,000 new arrivals, many of whom came in recent weeks
while walking in the rain. Over 10,000 people arrived in Kassala city and were
crammed into the few abandoned buildings that remained, such as an abandoned
hangar and a school courtyard that soon filled with water.
"We endured the
sun beating down on us, but we can't handle the rain," Nada Omer remarked.
They are currently
waiting on the street behind tarps or store awnings, as it is predicted that
the heavier-than-normal rains will last until September. According to relief
workers and government officials, some have rejected the idea of moving outside
the city, where there would be less prospects for employment.
"We are waiting in
the street and have nowhere to settle," said Hussein Abdo, another
displaced person.
At least five people
have reportedly been killed because of the rains, according to the United
Nations.
Those who arrived
earlier from Khartoum or El Gezira state, or in slightly drier al-Gedaref, are
not much better off, sleeping on the floor in schools with few services and
makeshift, shallow toilets that have also been flooded.
Little was done to
prepare for the situation, said Plan International's Mohammed Qazilbash.
"We are coming up to 500 days of the war, and everybody is exhausted...
It's one tragedy over another over another," he told Reuters.
The government and aid
workers are bracing for the expected rise in water-borne diseases, including
cholera, malaria, and dengue fever, with few medicines to treat them.
"We are sharing
what is available, but it is above our capacity" said Dr Ali Adam, head of
the state health ministry.
The rainy season
impacts most of the country. Last week, more than 1,000 houses and 800 latrines
were destroyed by rain at Zamzam camp in North Darfur, one of the locations in
the country where experts say famine is likely.
Meanwhile, the RSF's
advance has not stopped, and on Monday it said it had reached an area about
180km (112 miles) from Gedaref, one of the states that has sheltered the most
people.
Kassala, the only
neighbouring army-controlled state, does not have capacity to absorb people
from Gedaref, nor does the army's de facto capital Port Sudan, on the Red Sea.
"People are
scared, but there's no options," said a volunteer in the Gedaref emergency
response room. "They are awaiting their fate, the other cities are
full."
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