Nine Dead, Thousands Displaced as Floods Ravage Sudan

Flash floods have claimed at least nine lives in Sudan following days of heavy rainfall that battered several regions of the country.

A civil defence official confirmed that the deaths occurred in the northern city of al-Dammer, capital of River Nile State, after a torrential downpour on Tuesday. The floodwaters surrounded five neighbourhoods, flattened homes, and cut off access to key areas.

The rains also inundated parts of the major road linking Atbara to Khartoum, a vital 300-kilometre stretch, disrupting movement between northeastern Sudan and the capital.

Sudan’s rainy season, which peaks in August, usually impacts the southern and southeastern regions. However, in recent years, intense downpours have extended northward, reaching desert areas close to the Egyptian border.

In the eastern state of Gedaref, officials reported widespread destruction, with around 600 homes damaged and more than 8,500 acres of farmland submerged. Emergency services said several villages were completely cut off, particularly around Gallabat and Qala al-Nahl. The state, one of Sudan’s most productive agricultural zones, grows staples such as sorghum, sesame, and groundnuts.

Sudan’s meteorological authority had issued an orange-level alert on Tuesday for Khartoum, River Nile, and White Nile states, citing a “high risk” of more severe rainfall, thunderstorms, and rapid surges of floodwater.

The floods come as Sudan battles the fallout of a devastating conflict between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The war, now in its third year since breaking out in April 2023, has killed tens of thousands, displaced millions, and destroyed vital infrastructure — creating what the United Nations describes as the world’s largest displacement and hunger crisis.