244 People Died Due to Floods and Cholera in Sudan
Moatinoon
The Sudanese Ministry of Health announced yesterday evening that the death toll from floods has risen to 173 since the start of the rainy season last June, while the number of deaths from cholera has increased to 71.
In a statement, the ministry said that five states were affected by rains and floods on Wednesday: Al-Gadarif, Red Sea, Northern, South Kordofan, and West Kordofan, bringing the total number of affected states to 11 out of 18.
The statement added that "38,000 families, more than 170,000 people, have been affected, with injuries due to rains and floods rising to 505, and deaths reaching 173." It also noted that "the number of completely collapsed homes reached 18,665, while partially collapsed homes reached 14,947."
Earlier yesterday, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) announced that 64 people were missing due to the collapse of the Arbaat Dam in eastern Sudan a few days ago, which resulted in at least 30 deaths according to local authorities.
In another part of the statement, the Ministry of Health reported that the death toll from the cholera epidemic had risen from 56 to 71. It also noted 191 new cholera cases, including 123 in Kassala State, 37 in Al-Gadarif State, and 31 in the Nile River State. The total number of cholera cases has now risen to 1,696, with 71 deaths.
On Wednesday, the number of cases had reached 1,351, while the death toll stood at 56, according to the previous figures from the Ministry of Health. Sudanese authorities declared cholera a nationwide epidemic on August 12.
These natural and health disasters coincide with the ongoing suffering caused by the continuous war between the Sudanese army and the Rapid Support Forces since mid-April 2023, which has resulted in around 18,800 deaths and nearly 10 million displaced persons and refugees, according to the United Nations.
There are growing calls from the United Nations and international bodies to prevent a humanitarian catastrophe in Sudan, which has begun pushing millions toward famine and death due to food shortages caused by the conflict, which has now spread to 13 states.
