28,000 displaced as floods and cholera hit White Nile state
December 26, 2024 (AL JAZIRAH ABA) – A cholera outbreak in Sudan’s White Nile state has infected 153 people, according to the Steering Committee for the Sudanese Doctors’ Union. This comes as the region grapples with widespread flooding that has displaced 28,000 people.
Adiba Ibrahim Al-Sayed, a committee member, told Sudan Tribune that the surge in cholera cases prompted the establishment of an isolation centre at Al Jazirah Aba Hospital, located approximately 250 kilometres (155 miles) south of the capital, Khartoum.
Floodwaters from the White Nile, south of the Jebel Aulia Dam, have inundated areas of White Nile state for over a week, causing extensive damage, particularly in Al Jazirah Aba.
“The committee recorded 153 cholera cases, and the number is increasing,” Al-Sayed said.
An estimated 7,500 families (approximately 28,000 individuals) have been displaced, and around 3,000 homes have been destroyed. Stagnant floodwater has contaminated drinking water sources, contributing to the spread of the disease.
“Floodwaters have also reached other villages in White Nile State, leading to the spread of cholera, diarrhoea, and fevers,” Al-Sayed added, citing concerns about mosquitoes and flies in the area.
She emphasized the urgent need for shelter, food, and medicine, particularly given the ongoing displacement and damage to infrastructure.
Rebuilding efforts face significant challenges, including repairing damaged infrastructure and ensuring the safe return of displaced people to their homes.
Al-Sayed stressed the need for preventative measures to avoid future disasters, such as developing early warning systems and improving disaster management. She called for increased humanitarian aid, including shelter, food, medicine, and financial and logistical support.
The White Nile State government blamed the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) for the flooding, alleging they closed the gates of the Jebel Aulia Dam. The RSF, however, claimed the army’s shelling of the dam damaged the gates.
The Jebel Aulia Dam, currently controlled by the RSF, is located at the southern end of Khartoum State.