The United Nations Office at Geneva
Multimedia Newsroom
Heavy seasonal rains have caused severe flooding in Sudan leaving vast damage to people and infrastructure including access to clean water – critical in the middle of the Covid-19 pandemic
Thousands of people, including internally displaced, refugees and host communities in Sudan have been affected by heavy rains which have triggered severed flooding and a rise of the river Nile up to nearly 17,5 metres, the highest level in 100 years according to Sudanese authorities.
“In Khartoum state alone, more than 21,000 people have been affected by the flooding and on Sunday, the Government declared a state of emergency in Khartoum. Across the country, as of 25 August, 380,000 people have been affected and 90 have been killed”, said Jens Laerke, spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) at a briefing today at the United Nations in Geneva.
According to OCHA, some 37,000 homes have been destroyed, forcing families to seek shelter with relatives and host communities. Another 39,000 houses have been damaged, along with 34 schools and nearly 2,700 health facilities.
Talking on behalf of the refugees, Shabia Mantoo, spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR) said that “an estimated 125,000 refugees and internally displaced people have been affected in total. This is particularly in East Sudan, White Nile, Darfur and Khartoum, and many are in urgent need of shelter and other emergency assistance”.
Ms. Mantoo added that “rains have been particularly heavy in North Darfur, leaving an estimated 35,000 IDPs, locals and refugees in need of help, and also 15 people have tragically died and a further 23 are missing”.
Many of those affected had been previously displaced by conflict and were already facing loss of income due to the economic challenges related to the Covid-19 pandemic. Access to clean water which is critical in the Covid-19 pandemic has also been affected. Around 2,000 water sources are contaminated or non-functional, according to initial assessments.
“Hygiene and sanitary levels have plummeted due to flooded latrines and contaminated water supplies, preventing people from exercising necessary COVID19 prevention measures such as regular handwashing. Some health facilities have been damaged, hampering their abilities to treat patients should transmission of COVID19 or other viruses and diseases increase”, said UNHCR’s Shabia Mantoo.
Homes and community buildings have been badly damaged and destroyed leaving many in desperate need of shelter. “The damage to infrastructure has been devastating. Roads have become too muddy for traffic to pass, making it extremely difficult or impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to some communities, particularly in Blue Nile where humanitarian agencies are unable to reach some 5,700 people needing humanitarian assistance”, Ms. Mantoo said.
Across the country, UN and humanitarian partners are supporting the national response with emergency shelter and household supplies, water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, food, and health services.
OCHA’s Jens Laerke said that “a quick response has been possible because the Government, UN agencies and our partners had pre-positioned supplies to respond to the needs of 250,000 people before the rain started. But these stocks are being depleted rapidly. We therefore call on more support from donors”.
- Exterior wide shot, Palais des Nations flag alley, nations’ flags flying
- Wide shot, Press briefing, Palais des Nations
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “In Khartoum state alone, more than 21,000 people have been affected by the flooding and on Sunday, the Government declared a state of emergency in Khartoum. Across the country, as of 25 August, 380,000 people have been affected and 90 have been killed”.
- Medium shot, journalists
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Shabia Mantoo, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “An estimated 125,000 refugees and internally displaced people have been affected in total. This is particularly in East Sudan, White Nile, Darfur and Khartoum, and many are in urgent need of shelter and other emergency assistance. Rains have been particularly heavy in North Darfur, leaving an estimated 35,000 IDPs, locals and refugees in need of help, and also 15 people have tragically died and a further 23 are missing”.
- Wide shot, journalists in room with screen
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Shabia Mantoo, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “Hygiene and sanitary levels have plummeted due to flooded latrines and contaminated water supplies, preventing people from exercising necessary COVID19 prevention measures such as regular handwashing. Some health facilities have been damaged, hampering their abilities to treat patients should transmission of COVID19 or other viruses and diseases increase”.
- Wide shot, journalists in Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Shabia Mantoo, Spokesperson for the UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR): “The damage to infrastructure has been devastating. Roads have become too muddy for traffic to pass, making it extremely difficult or impossible to deliver humanitarian aid to some communities, particularly in Blue Nile where humanitarian agencies are unable to reach some 5,700 people needing humanitarian assistance”.
- Close up, cameraman, Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- SOUNDBITE (English) — Jens Laerke, Jens Laerke, Spokesperson for the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA): “A quick response has been possible because the Government, UN agencies and our partners had pre-positioned supplies to respond to the needs of 250,000 people before the rain started. But these stocks are being depleted rapidly. We therefore call on more support from donors”.
- Wide shot, journalists in Press Room III, Palais des Nations.
- Wide shot, podium in press Room III, Palais des Nations
- Close up, hands typing on laptop
Similar Stories
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
Institutionalised forced labour by the Democratic People's Republic of Korea constitutes grave violations of human rights – UN report
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
Time is running out for starving civilians in Sudan, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday, while talks involving the country’s warring parties continue in Geneva this week.
1
1
1
Edited News | WHO
DRC faces a severe humanitarian crisis with 25M in need and rising conflict-related issues.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA
A gimmer of good news emerged from Gaza on Tuesday as patients returned to at a newly reopened UN health centre in Khan Younis, six months after it was severely damaged and forced to close by heavy fighting, the UN agency for Palestine refugees (UNRWA) said.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR , UNOG
UN condemns attacks on Kyiv hospitals, calls for immediate action to protect civilians.
1
1
2
Edited News | WHO
In Gaza, soaring temperatures, hunger and unsanitary conditions present an ever more deadly threat to a population under constant attack, UN humanitarians warned on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA , WMO , IFRC
Hurricane Beryl smashes into Caribbean, turns sights on Mexico As Hurricane Beryl’s destructive path shifted to Mexico on Friday after roiling the Caribbean, UN agencies and partners said that the emergency response was underway, before warning that a very long and damaging hurricane season looks increasingly likely.
1
1
2
Edited News | IOM , mcc , UNHCR
Refugees and migrants continue to face extreme forms of violence, exploitation and death on sea and on land across Africa as they attempt to leave the continent, UN agencies said on Friday, in an appeal to border authorities to do more to protect them.
1
1
1
Edited News | OHCHR
UN Human Rights Chief Volker Türk at the 56th Human Rigths Council, made the following update on the situation of human rights in the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
New evacuation orders issued by the Israeli army for areas in southern Gaza are expected to impact 250,000 people, including eastern Khan Younis and Rafah, UN humanitarians said on Tuesday.
1
1
1
Edited News | UNRWA , WHO
Gaza: People are desperate, they need everything, says UN aid agency Panic and desperation now grip ordinary Gazans struggling to survive, UN humanitarians said on Friday, amid fuel shortages of fuel and dwindling supplies that have prevented aid teams from doing their job.
1
1
1
Edited News | OCHA
UN aid teams and partner organizations remain deeply committed to delivering lifesaving supplies into Gaza, despite the increasing dangers of working there, the Organization’s top aid official said on Wednesday.