The torrential rains that have caused massive flooding in areas of Sudan could endanger the lives and livelihoods of one million people, the country’s government warned.
In a statement published by the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs on 14 August, the government said a large portion of the country continued to face further flood threats from rains expected until the end of the wet season in September.
With heavy rainfall predicted over the Ethiopian and Eritrean plateaus, the water levels of the Blue Nile, Atbara and Sobat rivers were expected to remain high, endangering areas around the banks of the Nile and its tributaries.
Rains from the Ethiopian plateau feed the Blue Nile and the River Gash, which has already burst its banks, submerging nearby villages, sweeping away roads and isolating towns.
The update said the flooding situation, which has affected 12 of the 26 states and killed more than 70 people, was becoming critical.
Flash floods were expected to hit the areas of Kassala, North Darfur, South Darfur, West Darfur, South Kordofan, Gedaref, Gezera, South Sudan, White Nile and Blue Nile; while the Gash River was still threatening Kassala town and surrounding areas.
"[The] situation in Khor Baraka in the Red Sea state and Butana plains is at a critical level," the government statement said.
Aqiq locality in Red Sea State, which has a population of 82,000 people, was cut off for more than 35 days. "Urgent intervention is needed to minimise the adverse impacts of the floods," the statement noted.
Last week, Blue Nile State ordered the closure of all schools as a precautionary measure and the International Organization for Migration and Sudanese officials announced the suspension of returning internally displaced persons by barge to southern Sudan.
Health officials warned that pockets of stagnant water could breed mosquitoes and increase the potential for diseases. There were also fears of water-related diseases such as cholera.
The UN said contingency measures had been put in place to minimise the distress to the population.
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