A landslide in the western Darfur region of Sudan has led to significant casualties, with villagers attempting to recover buried victims using only their hands. According to aid organization Save the Children, there are reports of varying death tolls, with an armed group estimating around 1,000 fatalities, while the Sudanese health ministry suggests only two bodies have been recovered. Save the Children confirmed that at least 373 bodies had been found, according to the head of the Civil Authority.
Francesco Lanino, deputy director for programs and operations at Save the Children, mentioned the potential loss of 1,000 lives, including approximately 200 children. The landslide, attributed to heavy rainfall, has been described as one of the most catastrophic events in the region’s history. In the Tarseen area, consisting of five villages, only one survivor has been reported in the worst-affected village.
Independent verification of the landslide’s impact has been challenging due to the area’s remoteness. Nonetheless, satellite imagery analysis indicated the destruction of nine buildings in the disaster zone. Save the Children workers reported traveling over six hours across difficult terrain to deliver humanitarian aid to survivors. The efforts were complicated by ongoing civil conflict in Sudan, with World Vision noting additional obstacles in rescue operations.
The current humanitarian crisis in Sudan is further aggravated by violence between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the national army. Estimates of death tolls from this conflict vary, but a U.S. official previously estimated that up to 150,000 people have died since hostilities began in 2023, with around 12 million people displaced from their homes.
Source: https://www.bbc.com/news/articles/cn0xepvr0x4o?at_medium=RSS&at_campaign=rss