Heavy rains cause devastation and loss of lives in Northern Sudan

Approximately 50 houses in Northern Sudan’s Kado area of the River Nile State have completely collapsed due to heavy rains that pounded the city on Monday evening.

The Sudan Tribune website quoted the Civil Defense Forces in the River Nile State as reporting the tragic consequences of the heavy rains in Atbara and Al-Damar, where four individuals lost their lives, and several others sustained injuries. Meanwhile, the surging waters of the seasonal Dinder River, a tributary of the Blue Nile, in the southeastern state of Sennar pose a severe threat to agricultural lands and residential areas.

The cities of Atbara and Al-Damar experienced relentless downpours coupled with powerful winds that persisted for hours on Monday night.

Colonel Abdullah Suleiman, the Director of the Civil Defense Forces in the River Nile State, disclosed that the rain caused the collapse of an army housing unit in Qashlaq, Atbara, leading to the deaths of a woman and three children. He affirmed that the bodies have been recovered, and efforts are underway to remove water from the affected house.

In Al-Damar, the heavy rains resulted in the collapse of a house in the Al-Hila Al-Jadeeda neighborhood, leading to the loss of a child’s life and the hospitalization of another child.

Colonel Abdullah Suleiman also confirmed that the Civil Defense Forces are actively engaged in water removal operations at the Atbara Power Conversion Station after being inundated with rainwater.

In Atbara, the Civil Defense successfully managed to pump out water from the Murabbat neighborhood, Atbara Prison, and several major streets.

Meanwhile, in Sennar State, the water levels of the Dinder River have continued to rise at an alarming rate for the second consecutive day. As of Tuesday morning, the measuring station at Dinder City, affiliated with the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources, recorded a height of 13.18 meters. This represents an 18 cm increase compared to the levels observed two days ago on Monday and a substantial 1.18-meter increase compared to the same day in 2022 when it measured 12 meters.