Ofure Akhigbe
Devastating floods in Sudan’s River Nile State have killed more than 30 people and left thousands stranded as waters from the Blue and White Nile rivers continue to rise, authorities said on Monday.
The floods, which have destroyed hundreds of homes and submerged vast stretches of farmland, have worsened Sudan’s already dire humanitarian crisis. Residents described scenes of chaos as the waters swept through their communities overnight.
“We were surprised by the floodwaters,” said Ramadan Ali, a resident. “At around 1:30 a.m., the floods arrived while we were asleep. We couldn’t find a way to stop the massive amount of water. Our situation is truly terrible — everyone here is suffering.”
Local rescue efforts have been hampered by a lack of equipment and heavy rains that have made many areas inaccessible. Authorities say the scale of the disaster is growing as the Nile continues to overflow.
Other states affected by flooding include Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, and Khartoum. In River Nile State, some residents have blamed poor planning for the scale of the damage.
“Heavy rains fell, but planning errors by the Abu Hamad locality are the cause of this disaster,” said Abdul Sami Hussein. “Animal pens and shops were built in flood-prone areas, and now everything is underwater.”
Sudan’s Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation had earlier warned that six states — including Gezira and Khartoum — were at high risk of Nile flooding this year. The ministry has urged residents in vulnerable areas to take precautionary measures as heavy rains persist.
Meanwhile, the impact of the floods has spilled beyond Sudan’s borders. In Egypt, authorities in the Nile Delta are also reporting rising water levels. Cairo has accused Ethiopia’s recently inaugurated Blue Nile dam of contributing to the surge, a claim Addis Ababa denies, insisting the dam has instead helped reduce flooding downstream.