Surging waters have burst through a dam, wiped out at least five villages, and left an unknown number of people dead in eastern Sudan, officials said on Monday, devastating a region already reeling from months of civil war.

Torrential rains caused floods that overwhelmed the Arbaat Dam on Sunday, just 40 km (25 miles) north of Port Sudan, the de facto national capital and base for the government, diplomats, aid agencies and hundreds of thousands of displaced people.

"The area is unrecognisable. The electricity and water pipes are destroyed," Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the water authority for Red Sea state, said in a WhatsApp message to staff.

He said he had seen the bodies of gold miners and pieces of their equipment wrecked in the deluge, and likened the disaster to the devastation in the eastern Libyan city of Derna in September last year when storm waters burst dams, swept away buildings and killed thousands.

On the road to Arbaat on Monday, a Reuters reporter saw people burying a man and covering his grave with driftwood to try to prevent it from being washed away in mudslides.

The dam was the main source of water for Port Sudan, which is home to the country's main Red Sea port and working airport, and receives most of the country's much-needed aid deliveries.

"The city is threatened with thirst in the coming days," the Sudanese Environmentalists Association said in a statement.

<h2>Crumbling infrastructure</h2>

Officials said the dam had started crumbling and silt had been building during days of heavy rain that had come much earlier than usual.

Sudan's dams, roads, and bridges were already in disrepair before the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Forces began in April 2023.

Both sides have since funnelled the bulk of their resources into the conflict, leaving infrastructure badly neglected.

Some people had fled their flooded homes in five devastated villages and headed to the mountains, where they were now stranded, the health ministry said.

On Monday, the government's rainy season taskforce said 132 people had been killed in floods across the country, up from 68 two weeks ago. At least 118,000 people have been displaced by the rains this year, according to United Nations agencies.

The conflict in Sudan began when competition between the army and the RSF, who had previously shared power after staging a coup, flared into open warfare.

The two sides had been seeking to protect their power and extensive economic interests as the international community promoted a plan for a transition towards civilian rule.

Overlapping efforts in pursuit of a ceasefire, including Saudi- and U.S.-led talks in Jeddah, have not eased the fighting, and half of the 50 million population lacks sufficient food.

Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Surging waters have burst through a dam, wiped out at least five villages, and left an unknown number of people dead in eastern Sudan, officials said on Monday, devastating a region already reeling from months of civil war.

Surging waters have burst through a dam, wiped out at least five villages, and left an unknown number of people dead in eastern Sudan, officials said on Monday, devastating a region already reeling from months of civil war. Torrential rains caused floods that overwhelmed the Arbaat Dam on Sunday, just 40 km (25 miles) north of Port Sudan, the de facto national capital and base for the government, diplomats, aid agencies and hundreds of thousands of displaced people. "The area is unrecognisable. The electricity and water pipes are destroyed," Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the water authority for Red Sea state, said in a WhatsApp message to staff. He said he had seen the bodies of gold miners and pieces of their equipment wrecked in the deluge, and likened the disaster to the devastation in the eastern Libyan city of Derna in September last year when storm waters burst dams, swept away buildings and killed thousands. On the road to Arbaat on Monday, a Reuters reporter saw people burying a man and covering his grave with driftwood to try to prevent it from being washed away in mudslides. The dam was the main source of water for Port Sudan, which is home to the country's main Red Sea port and working airport, and receives most of the country's much-needed aid deliveries. "The city is threatened with thirst in the coming days," the Sudanese Environmentalists Association said 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 than usual. Sudan's dams, roads, and bridges were already in disrepair before the war between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Forces began in April 2023. Both sides have since funnelled the bulk of their resources into the conflict, leaving infrastructure badly neglected. Some people had fled their flooded homes in five devastated villages and headed to the mountains, where they were now stranded, the health ministry said. On Monday, the government's rainy season taskforce said 132 people had been killed in floods across the country, up from 68 two weeks ago. At least 118,000 people have been displaced by the rains this year, according to United Nations agencies. The conflict in Sudan began when competition between the army and the RSF, who had previously shared power after staging a coup, flared into open warfare. The two sides had been seeking to protect their power and extensive economic interests as the international community promoted a plan for a transition towards civilian rule. Overlapping efforts in pursuit of a ceasefire, including Saudi- and U.S.-led talks in Jeddah, have not eased the fighting, and half of the 50 million population lacks sufficient food. Disclaimer: This story has been published from a news agency feed with minimal edits to adhere to WION's style guide. The headline may have been changed to better reflect the content of the story or to make it more suitable for WION audience.

Sudan: Torrential rains overwhelm Arbaat Dam; death toll from rainy season rises to 132

Sudan is in a state of emergency after authorities declared the country a disaster zone last week because of heavy flooding that's killed around 100 people and inundated over 100,000 houses since late July.

Sudan declares state of emergency over deadly flood, more than 100 people killed

Thousands of families in Sudan have been affected by flooding caused by two months of heavy rain, with many forced into temporary accommodation.

Dozens dead across flood-hit Sudan

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sudan flood

Sudan: Torrential rains overwhelm Arbaat Dam; death toll from rainy season rises to 132

Sudan declares state of emergency over deadly flood, more than 100 people killed

Dozens dead across flood-hit Sudan