Sudan official: death toll from seasonal floods rises to 83

KARO — The death toll from flash floods in Sudan has risen to 83 since the start of the rainy season in the country, an official said on Tuesday as the torrential rains continued to flood villages in the East African country.

Brig. Gene. Abdul-Jalil Abdul-Rahim, spokesman for Sudan’s National Civil Defense Council, said at least 36 people have been injured since May. More than 18,200 homes have been “completely destroyed” across the country, while about 25,600 are partially damaged.

The United Nations said more than 146,200 people have been affected by flooding. Images broadcast by local media show how the rising water is flooding villages. Authorities have declared a state of emergency in six of the country’s 18 provinces.

The western region of Darfur and the provinces of Nile, White Nile, West Kordofan and South Kordofan are among the hardest hit, according to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, or OCHA.

UN agencies face significant funding shortfalls. OCHA said donors have provided about $608 million for Sudan’s humanitarian aid so far this year — less than a third of what is needed this year.

Sudan has been without a functioning government since a military coup in October derailed its short-lived democratic transition following the removal of longtime autocrat Omar al-Bashir in 2019 during a popular uprising.

The rainy season in Sudan usually starts in June and lasts until the end of September, with peaks in August and September. Last year, more than 80 people died in flood-related incidents during the rainy season.