White Nile floodwaters engulf new areas, RSF blames army
December 23, 2024 (KOSTI) – Floodwaters from the White Nile River inundated new areas on Monday, worsening the crisis in Al Jazirah Aba, as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) blamed the army for shelling workers at the Jebel Aulia dam, causing the disaster.
The Minister of Infrastructure in White Nile state, Al-Tayeb Mohammed Al-Hassan, said on Saturday that the RSF’s closure of the Jebel Aulia dam, south of Khartoum, led to rising water levels behind the dam.
Activists told Sudan Tribune that “the White Nile flood has engulfed Kosti, Al-Kawa, Al-Qatina, Al-Shawal, Al-Dubeibat, Al-Marabie, Wad Al-Lubaih, villages in Al-Jabalain, villages in Shikan, Al-Malaha, and Awlad Nasser, in addition to Al Jazira Aba, which is the most affected area.”
The Quba Organization for Community Development reported that the drinking water administration in Al Jazira Aba had shut down the water station, with workers dismantling pumps and motors to move them to safety.
The organization called on volunteers to build protective barriers around the drinking water station near Ghar Al-Mahdi, which is surrounded by water. Approximately 70,000 citizens rely on this station for drinking water.
The RSF blamed the army for the catastrophic flooding, accusing it of targeting workers at the dam and forcing them to leave.
In a statement on Monday, the RSF acknowledged that the flooding resulted from damage to the dam’s gates caused by more than 70 airstrikes since they seized control of the military zone in Jebel Aulia.
The RSF said that targeting the dam’s staff and breaching several canals in Al Jazira and White Nile to divert water into the White Nile further increased water levels.
The RSF revealed that technical teams were working to address the situation and expressed willingness to cooperate with any independent volunteer technical entities to assist in the response.
The Sudanese Congress Party said the failure to open the Jebel Aulia dam gates exacerbated the situation, causing the White Nile to spread horizontally, damaging thousands of acres of farmland and destroying many homes. This has led to widespread displacement and a growing threat to thousands of families.
The party called on the RSF to open the dam gates under their control and coordinate with the army and the government in Port Sudan to bring specialists if needed.
Closing the Jebel Aulia dam gates, which store about 2.3 billion cubic meters of water, leads to water accumulation inside the reservoir, increasing the risk of flooding in areas along the White Nile.
Thousands of families have been displaced from flood-affected areas after their homes collapsed, losing all their possessions, including livestock and crops. This further exacerbates the ongoing hunger crisis in Sudan.