Heavy rains, flooding kill 114 in war-torn Sudan since June: ministry

KHARTOUM, Aug. 21 (Xinhua) — Heavy rains and flooding from Sudan’s rainy season, which began in June, have resulted in 114 fatalities, the Sudanese Health Ministry reported on Wednesday.
The ministry’s Autumn Emergency Room said in a statement that the death toll has risen to 114, with 281 injuries reported. Ten states have been affected, impacting 27,278 families and 110,278 individuals.
On Aug. 10, the ministry reported 53 deaths and 208 injuries from floods and rains in nine states during June and July.
Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to agricultural land.
This year’s rainy season has exacerbated the humanitarian crisis in Sudan, which is already grappling with a deadly conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.
Since April 15, 2023, the conflict has displaced millions of people within Sudan and forced hundreds of thousands to flee to neighboring countries.
According to the latest UN data, about 10.7 million people are internally displaced within Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million seeking refuge abroad. ■