Heatwave, power cuts in Sudan’s Port Sudan kill at least two

July 27, 2025 (PORT SUDAN)  – At least two people have died from sunstroke in the eastern Sudanese city of Port Sudan, officials and doctors said on Sunday, as a severe heatwave coincides with power outages that have lasted for more than ten days.

The Red Sea state’s Ministry of Health announced on Sunday that it had officially recorded 22 cases of sunstroke, including two fatalities, as of Saturday.

However, a doctors’ group reported higher numbers. The Sudan Doctors Network said it had recorded 41 cases of sunstroke, including one death, over a two-day period.

“The increase in cases is due to high temperatures amid continuous, lengthy power outages in shelters and densely populated residential areas,” said Ahmed Al-Nur, a spokesperson for the network.

The city, a vital port and a hub for people displaced by the country’s conflict, has been without consistent electricity for over ten days, leaving residents unable to use fans or air conditioning to cope with the extreme heat.

In a statement, the Doctors Network expressed alarm over the rising number of cases, warning that the already significant pressures on the health sector, including staff and equipment shortages, could worsen the situation.

The network called for urgent action to resolve the electricity crisis, particularly in displacement shelters, and to provide medical staff with the necessary supplies to treat heat-related illnesses.

Health Ministry Director-General Ahlam Abdel Rasoul said her department had set up a dedicated centre to treat sunstroke patients, established a hotline, and was running awareness campaigns on community radio.