News Desk

The Advocate Post: At least 30 people have died following the collapse of the Arba’at Dam in Sudan’s northwest Red Sea State, with hundreds more missing, according to the United Nations’ emergency relief agency. The dam’s collapse on Sunday led to flash flooding that devastated 20 villages and damaged 50 more, severely affecting an estimated 50,000 people, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

Residents in the villages of Khor-Baraka and Tukar were forced to flee, and local officials fear the death toll could rise. AgenceFrance-Presse (AFP) footage showed the aftermath, including industrial trucks buried in mud and debris and other vehicles almost unrecognizable along the riverbank.

Moussa Mohamad Moussa, a local resident, described how the dam broke and floodwaters swept away around 40 people. He added that his own area, Tabub, had seen all its houses and belongings washed away. Another resident, Ali Issa, recounted helping to rescue families, elderly people, and children trapped in their cars due to the rising floodwaters. Despite their efforts, they were unable to reach the dam due to the sheer volume of water.OCHA indicated that the collapse was caused by torrential rains, which led to the reservoir being fully drained.