Local Government in Sudan Appeals for Humanitarian Assistance Following Fatal Landslide
Only one survivor has been identified in the deadly incident that occurred due to days of heavy rainfall.
The Jebel Marra Mountains region became a place of refuge for many citizens fleeing North Darfur state, as the civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to rage on.
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Area (SLM/A) has called for help in recovering bodies and rescuing people following a landslide in the remote mountain village of Tarseen, in western Sudan. According to the UN, between 300 and 1,000 people may have lost their lives in the fatal incident, caused by several days of heavy rainfall. Only one survivor has been identified.
The SLM/A, a rebel group that controls parts of western Sudan, released a statement appealing for humanitarian assistance in collecting bodies and possibly finding additional survivors. “Tarseen, famed for its citrus production, has now been completely levelled to the ground,” the group said in its statement. However, its remote location in the Marra Mountains could affect rescue and aid efforts, with the UN humanitarian mission in Sudan citing logistical issues.
“We do not have helicopters; everything goes in vehicles on very bumpy roads. It takes time, and it is the rainy season – sometimes we have to wait hours, maybe a day or two to cross a valley,” UN deputy humanitarian coordinator in Sudan Antoine Gérard said, adding that, “bringing in trucks with commodities will be a challenge.”
The Jebel Marra Mountains region became a place of refuge for many citizens fleeing North Darfur state, as the civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) continues to rage on. El Fasher, the capital of North Darfur, is being besieged by the RSF amidst a brutal genocidal campaign. The SLM/A is neutral in the civil war, which made its controlled territory a destination for those who fled there months ago.
“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,” Darfur’s SAF-aligned governor, Minni Minnawi, stated, calling the landslide a “humanitarian tragedy.”
For those who can help, consider donating to the UN’s Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) in Sudan and the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) mission in Sudan.- How Cabo Verdeans Are Leaning on Each Other After Devastating Flash Floods ›
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