370 bodies recovered, NGO’s face difficulties accessing Tarsin , Darfur

Moatinoon - News Report
At a time when international organizations are facing difficulties accessing the Tarsin area in Jebel Marra, Darfur, due to heavy rains and rugged terrain, the Sudan Liberation Movement-led by Abdul Wahid Mohamed Nour announced yesterday the recovery of more than 370 bodies following a landslide disaster that, according to the movement, killed nearly 1,000 people.

Ibrahim Hasaballah, a SLM official, said they were able to recover more than 370 bodies from under the rubble in the village of Tarsin in Central Darfur State.

He added in a video clip posted on social media: "As for the remaining victims, we were unable to recover them because their bodies were stuck under the rocks, while the valley swept away other bodies."

In a statement released Thursday, the SLM said the stricken village "is located in a deep valley in the middle of Jebel Marra, in fragile volcanic soil that facilitates landslides, which were saturated with water after heavy rains." For his part, UN spokesman Stéphane Dujarric stated yesterday that Sudan continues to face a "dire humanitarian situation," as UN colleagues rush to assist communities affected by the devastating landslide that struck the village of Tarsin in South Darfur State over the weekend.

The International Organization for Migration said the death toll has yet to be verified, as ongoing heavy rains and rugged terrain make access to the affected communities difficult. It noted that 150 people have been displaced from Tarsin and neighboring villages so far, with families now seeking refuge in neighboring communities.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) and its partners have begun implementing a rapid response plan. It added that teams comprising nearly a dozen local and international NGOs and UN agencies traveled to the site yesterday, traveling part of the way on donkeys due to the rugged terrain.

OCHA stated that their mission focused on confirming the number of those affected and assessing and responding to urgent needs.

As part of the response to support survivors in Tarsin and surrounding villages, the office said teams also transported essential supplies for up to 750 people, including medical kits, nutritional support, food rations, non-food items, and other essential supplies. Mobile health clinics and emergency medical teams were also deployed to provide immediate care on the ground.

"The assessment findings will inform the scale-up of assistance, as UN agencies prepare to send more supplies to meet additional needs," Dujarric said.

"Tarsin is one of the most isolated villages in one of the most remote areas of Sudan. Heavy rains and flash floods made the response extremely challenging, and it took our team more than a full day on a rocky, muddy, and mountainous road to reach this stricken community," said Francesco Lanino, Save the Childrens Deputy Country Director for Programs and Operations in Sudan and coordinator of the operation. "Families in Tarsin have lost everything. Some are still desperately searching for survivors. We are committed to standing with them and with all of Sudan in this tragic moment, providing urgent assistance now, and supporting them to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible," he added.

According to local sources, more than 1,000 people were killed in the village on Tuesday due to landslides caused by heavy rains.

Sudan remains one of the worlds most serious humanitarian emergencies, with more than 30 million people—more than half the population—in need of assistance, and parts of the country pushed into famine by ongoing conflict and recurring climate shocks.