Torrential rains caused flooding that overwhelmed the Arbaat Dam, just 40 kilometers north of the capital Port Sudan, on Sunday, displacing diplomats, aid agencies and hundreds of thousands of residents.

“The area is unrecognizable. Electricity and water pipes have been destroyed,” said Omar Eissa Haroun, head of the Red Sea state water authority. Initial reports said between 150 and 200 people were missing.

The United Nations said the homes of about 50,000 people had been affected by the floods, citing local authorities, adding that the figure only counted the area west of the dam as the eastern area was inaccessible.

The dam is the main water source for Port Sudan, home to the country's main Red Sea port and operating airport, and receives much of the country's much-needed aid shipments.

Officials said the dam had begun to collapse and mud had accumulated during days of heavy rain that came much earlier than usual.

Sudan’s dams, roads, and bridges were already in disrepair before the fighting between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Response Forces (RSF) began in April 2023. Since then, both sides have poured much of their resources into the conflict, neglecting infrastructure improvements.

Some people who fled their flooded homes to the mountains are now trapped, the Sudanese health ministry said. At least 118,000 people have been displaced and hundreds have died in floods in Sudan this year, according to UN agencies.

Hoang Anh (according to Reuters, AFP, Guardian)