32 killed in heavy rains, floods in Sudan

At least 32 people were killed and 107 others wounded due to the recent torrential rains and floods that hit several Sudanese states, Sudan's Health Ministry announced on Monday, reported Xinhua.

"Seven states were affected by the rains and floods, and 5,575 homes were damaged," Al-Fadil Mohamed Mahmoud, director of the general directorate of health emergencies at the ministry, said in a statement.

He said that the heavy rains and floods led to a number of watery diarrhea cases, with 102 cases reported in Kassala state, four in Khartoum state, and 16 in Gezira state.

The health conditions in other states were stable, he said, noting that the ministry is concerned with adopting necessary measures to combat rainy season epidemics.

In an earlier report, the Sudanese Meteorological Authority had expected a rise in the water levels of the Gash River, which flows through Kassala city, the capital of Kassala state. Citizens were urged to be alert and stay away from the banks of the seasonal river.

Flooding is a yearly occurrence in Sudan, typically happening between June and October. Over the past three years, heavy rains have claimed hundreds of lives and destroyed vast swathes of agricultural land.

This year's rainy season has further compounded the hardships faced by those affected by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Sudan has been witnessing a deadly conflict between the SAF and the RSF since April 15, 2023, resulting in the loss of at least 16,650 lives. An estimated 10.7 million people are now internally displaced in Sudan, with approximately 2.2 million others seeking refuge in neighboring countries, according to the UN data released on Monday.