Arbaat dam collapse in Sudan wipes out 20 villages, over 130 reportedly killed

The Arbaaat dam in Sudan’s Red Sea State collapsed on August 25, 2024, resulting in severe flash floods in the surrounding regions as the reservoir was fully drained. Reports from Agence France Presse (AFP) indicate 132 casualties while local authorities have confirmed only 30. The floods destroyed 20 villages while the homes of 50 000 people have either been destroyed or damaged.

Arbaaat Dam, located approximately 38 km (24 miles) northwest of Port Sudan in Sudan’s Red Sea State, collapsed after heavy rains on August 25. Preliminary reports suggest that the breach caused the dam reservoir to be fully drained.

According to a government delegation inspecting the affected regions, 70 villages in the surrounding areas have been impacted by the flash floods, 20 of which have been destroyed. The homes of roughly 50 000 people have either been destroyed or damaged on the western side of the dam, while access to roads on the eastern side has been completely cut off.

Local authorities have confirmed 30 fatalities. However, the number of casualties could be much higher, according to UN OCHA. Meanwhile, reports from Agence France Presse (AFP) indicate 132 casualties.

They also reported that 70 schools have either been damaged or destroyed, 84 boreholes have collapsed, and 10 000 heads of livestock are missing.

Floods had already displaced at least 118 000 people before the dam collapse, and 317 000 were already affected across 16 of the 18 Sudanese states as of August 25.

References:

¹ Sudan – Flash floods – ECHO Flash – August 27, 2024

² SUDAN: Collapse of Arba’at Dam in Port Sudan, Red Sea State – UN OCHA – August 26, 2024

Rishav Kothari

I am an Assistant Editor and Severe Weather & Science Journalist at The Watchers, specializing in real-time severe weather coverage, geophysical event reporting, and research-driven scientific analysis. You can reach me at rishav(at)watchers(.)news.

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