A catastrophic landslide in Sudan's volatile Darfur region has resulted in a staggering loss of life, with a rebel group reporting more than 1,000 fatalities. The disaster strikes a nation already reeling from a brutal civil war, severely complicating emergency response efforts.
The tragedy occurred in the gold mining area of Jebel Marra, a region under the control of the Sudan Liberation Movement (SLM) led by Abdel Wahid al-Nur. The group described the event as a 'major landslide', burying countless victims and overwhelming local resources.
A Crisis Within a Crisis
This natural disaster unfolds against a backdrop of immense human suffering. Sudan has been gripped by a devastating conflict since April 2023, pitting the national army against the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The fighting has plunged the country into one of the world's most severe humanitarian crises.
Communications with the remote and conflict-ravaged region are extremely limited. The Guardian could not immediately verify the death toll independently, a common challenge in reporting from areas cut off by war.
Hampered Rescue and Recovery
International aid efforts are stretched to their limits. The ongoing violence has decimated Sudan's infrastructure and pushed millions to the brink of famine. Reaching the landslide site poses a monumental challenge for relief organisations.
The World Health Organization's Sudan office, contacted for comment, highlights the difficulties in coordinating a response amidst active conflict and access restrictions.
A Pattern of Environmental and Human Tragedy
Environmental factors are believed to have played a role. The SLM cited 'heavy rains' as a potential trigger for the landslide. Mining activities in the region may have also destabilised the terrain.
This event echoes a similar tragedy in 2022, where heavy rainfall caused destructive floods affecting over 300,000 people across Sudan, underscoring the country's vulnerability to climate-related disasters.
As the international community grapples with the news, the scale of the loss in Darfur serves as a grim reminder of the compound tragedies facing the Sudanese people, where natural disaster and human conflict collide with devastating consequences.
