Sudan Landslide Claims Over 1000 Lives

Sudan Landslide Claims Over 1000 Lives Sudan Landslide Claims Over 1000 Lives
Residents dig to recover the dead bodies of victims of the landslide following heavy rains that buried people in Gofa zone, Southern Ethiopia July 23, 2024. Gofa Zone Government Communication Affairs Department/Handout via REUTERS/File Photo

A “massive” landslide has wiped out an entire mountain village in Sudan’s western Darfur region, killing more than 1,000 people, according to a rebel group that controls the area. The group said late Monday that just one person survived.

The disaster struck on Sunday after days of torrential rain, devastating the village of Tarasin in the Marra mountains, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM) confirmed in a statement.

“Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals, with only one survivor,” the group stated.

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Describing the incident as “massive and devastating,” the SLM said the landslide had “completely destroyed” part of a region renowned for citrus production.

Sudan Landslide Claims Over 1000 Lives
Sudan Landslide Claims Over 1000 Lives. Credit: Euronews

The group appealed to the United Nations and international aid agencies for urgent assistance to recover bodies still buried under debris.

Sudan remains gripped by a brutal civil war between the army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF), a conflict that has triggered one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. While the SLM has largely avoided direct involvement in the fighting, it maintains control over sections of Sudan’s highest mountain range.

Darfur’s army-backed governor, Minni Minnawi, described the disaster as a “humanitarian tragedy that goes beyond the borders of the region.”

“We appeal to international humanitarian organizations to urgently intervene and provide support and assistance at this critical moment, for the tragedy is greater than what our people can bear alone,” Minnawi said in his statement.

However, much of Darfur, including the area affected by the landslide, remains inaccessible to aid organisations due to ongoing conflict, severely hampering relief efforts.

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  • Chinomso Sunday

    Chinomso Sunday is a Digital Content Writer at News Central, with expertise in special reports, investigative journalism, editing, online reputation, and digital marketing strategy.

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