UN, humanitarian partners support over 40,000 flood victims in Sudan

August 22, 2022 (KHARTOUM) – The United Nations and humanitarian partners have dispatched relief supplies for over 40,000 flood-affected people and thousands more will receive humanitarian assistance in the coming days and weeks, humanitarian coordinator in the country said.

“Humanitarian organisations have dispatched relief supplies for about 40,000 people who have been affected by heavy rains and floods. At least 9,700 flood-affected people in the larger Kordofan area, East Darfur, Central Darfur, and South Darfur states have already received shelter supplies,” said Eddie Rowe.

He added, “We will scale up the assistance as soon as some of the areas that have been cut off are accessible again and we can deliver the supplies for affected states, including Al-Jazirah and others.”

Health sector partners, the UN official said, have provided medicines and medical supplies for about 10,000 patients with water and vector-borne diseases that usually surge with the onset of the rainy season and floods.

Over 19,000 affected people have received chlorine for water treatment, sanitation and hygiene supplies in South Darfur and White Nile states.

According to the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), an estimated over 146,200 flood-affected people had received assistance by August 22.

Authorities said at least 79 people have died since the beginning of the rainy season, while flood affected states include, Central Darfur (41,670 people), South Darfur (28,730), River Nile (15,720), West Darfur (15,500), White Nile (13,920), West Kordofan (5,860) and South Kordofan (5,770).

In addition, however, the floods have reportedly affected at least 238 health facilities, 1,560 water sources and over 1,500 latrines were damaged or washed away. Also, people have lost over 330 head of livestock and over 5,200 fedans of agricultural land were flood affected.

In 2022, more than 460,000 people could be affected by the floods, according to the 2022 Sudan Emergency Response Plan. In 2021, about 314,500 people were reportedly affected across Sudan, while between 2017 and 2021 floods on average affected 388,600 people annually.

(ST)