A dam collapse in conflict-ridden Sudan has resulted in at least 60 deaths, exacerbating the already severe humanitarian crisis in the region. The Arbat Dam, situated in Red Sea State, gave way under the strain of intense rainfall, causing massive flooding that has devastated farms, villages, and vehicles downstream.

The Arbat Dam, with a capacity of 25 million cubic meters, was a vital water source for Port Sudan, where the military government is based. The breach has left the city and surrounding areas without a reliable water supply, further complicating the lives of residents who have been enduring 16 months of civil war.

Search and rescue operations are ongoing, but officials fear the death toll may increase as efforts to find missing persons continue. Witnesses report distressing scenes of people trapped in vehicles and homes being swept away by the floodwaters.

Ali Issa, a local resident, described the scene: “People were stuck in seven cars—they tried to get them out but couldn’t.”

Moussa Mohamad Moussa, another resident, noted that entire communities had been obliterated: “All the houses and everything was swept away.”

The flooding has also damaged a major fiber-optic cable, causing widespread communication outages and hampering rescue coordination. The Sudanese Air Force has been deployed to rescue individuals who sought refuge in the mountains, as reported by local newspaper Merdameek.

Omar Issa Tahir, director of the Red Sea State’s Water Authority, confirmed to news site Akhbar that the flooding had “wiped out the entire area.”

Army chief Abdul-Fattah al-Burhan has visited the affected areas, and the military has urgently appealed for federal and state agencies to provide immediate assistance.

Since April 2023, Sudan has been engulfed in conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army, leading to widespread displacement and famine. The recent extreme weather has only intensified the crisis.