At least 60 people drowned and dozens are missing after the collapse of the Jor Arbaat dam, located in eastern Sudan and whose lake has a capacity of 25 million cubic meters of water.

RELATED:

S. Sudan: UN Urges Safety of Aid Workers amid Attacks

The Federal Ministry of Health initially said in a statement on late on Sunday that the Arbaat Dam north of Port Sudan had collapsed, killing four people in the floodwaters and sweeping away homes.

Medameek, a Sudanese local news outlet citing the country’s air force, reported more than 100 people were missing, and that many other villagers had climbed to hilltops to avoid the rising waters.

Heavy rains and torrential floods in Sudan's Red Sea State led to the collapse of the Arbaat Dam, located 40 km north of Port Sudan, which is the city's main source of drinking water. pic.twitter.com/VPnSWj5fKt

— Volcaholic 🌋 (@volcaholic1) August 25, 2024

For his part, the advisor to the governor of eastern Red Sea state, Nayi Ezzeldin, said in a statement to state broadcaster Sudan TV that the situation in the vicinity of the dam is “catastrophic” as at least five villages of 5,000 inhabitants each have been completely washed away.

He indicated that helicopters are needed to evacuate the affected people gradually, while noting that “dozens” of people climbed up the nearby mountains to escape the floods and now also risk being bitten by snakes or bitten by scorpions.

In addition to the lack of maintenance, the collapse of Jor Arbaat is due to the strong and unusual rains that have been hitting the country for two months, which have caused the death of at least 132 people, according to figures published this Monday by the Sudanese Ministry of Health.

In addition, the Sudanese health ministry says resources have been deployed to the area to help people who have been stranded.

EN ESTA NOTA: