State media in Sudan reported on Monday that torrential rains have demolished over 450 residences in the northern region, confirming the worries expressed by aid organizations that the rainy season would exacerbate the challenges faced by the conflict-ridden nation.
Altered weather patterns brought heavy rainfall to Sudan’s Northern State, resulting in damage to a minimum of 464 houses, as reported by the state-run SUNA news agency.
The news agency characterized the expansive area, which shares borders with Egypt and Libya, as “a desert area that rarely received rain in the past, but has been witnessing devastating rains for the past five years.”
This tragedy emerges nearly four months into a brutal conflict between the army and the Rapid Support Forces, which has resulted in extensive infrastructure damage and pushed millions into the depths of hunger.
Medical professionals and humanitarian organizations have consistently cautioned that Sudan’s rainy season, commencing in June, could lead to dire consequences for millions, intensifying the likelihood of malnutrition, vector-borne diseases, and widespread displacement throughout the nation.
The World Health Organization (WHO) has indicated that certain regions of the country, which have been extremely challenging for relief efforts to reach, have already experienced outbreaks of cholera and measles.
The WHO stated that over 80 percent of Sudan’s hospitals are currently non-operational, and the limited health facilities that are still functioning frequently come under attack and face challenges in delivering medical care.
The conflict, which erupted in the capital Khartoum on April 15, has resulted in the internal displacement of over three million individuals, many of whom are in immediate need of assistance, as reported by the International Organization for Migration.
The organization added that almost one million additional people have crossed international borders in search of safety.
Aid organizations consistently raise concerns about security obstacles, bureaucratic obstacles, and deliberate attacks that hinder their ability to provide essential assistance.