Port Sudan faces water crisis after deadly dam collapse
Tens of thousands of homes in eastern Sudan have been destroyed after a dam burst due to weeks of heavy rain, wiping out at least 20 villages. The disaster has claimed at least 30 lives, with 200 people still missing.
Torrential rains overwhelmed the Arbaat Dam on Saturday, causing devastating floods that obliterated infrastructure, submerged entire villages, and severed access to surrounding areas.
The United Nations reported that around 50,000 people have been affected by the flooding west of the dam. The impact east of the dam remains unknown as the area is inaccessible.
The Arbaat Dam, with a capacity of 25 million cubic meters, was the main water source for Port Sudan, located 40 kilometres to the north.
Port Sudan is the de facto capital, home to the government, diplomats, and aid agencies supporting hundreds of thousands displaced by civil war.
"The city is threatened with thirst in the coming days," warned the Sudanese Environmentalists Association in a statement.
Crumbling infrastructure
Officials said the dam had started crumbling and silt had been building during days of heavy rain that had come much earlier in the season than usual, causing flooding.
Both warring factions have diverted resources to the conflict, leaving infrastructure neglected.
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