Aid workers on donkeys have delivered the first humanitarian supplies to survivors of a landslide that reportedly killed hundreds of people in a remote mountain village in Sudan's western Darfur region.
Heavy rains and flash floods that hit Tarasin village triggering the disaster on Sunday have continued, making donkeys the only access to the affected families. Families in Tarasin have lost everything. It took our team more than a full day on a rocky, muddy, and hilly route to reach this devastated community, said Francesco Lanino, from the aid agency Save the Children.
It remains unclear how many people died. The armed group in charge of the area claims up to 1,000 casualties, while the health ministry acknowledges only two bodies recovered.
On Thursday, local civilian leaders reported the recovery and burial of hundreds of people.
Local leader Ibrahim Suleiman stated, We recovered 370 bodies and buried them. Others are still trapped under the rocks and some were carried away by floodwaters. Footage shared by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A) showed rescuers and residents at a makeshift burial site, praying for the victims.
The SLM/A has remained neutral amid a civil war ravaging Sudan for over two years, causing many to seek refuge in the Marra Mountains area, where the landslide occurred.
Antoine Gérard, the UN's deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, confirmed the figure of 370 deaths but emphasized the challenges in assessing the disaster's scale.
On Thursday, an emergency team of 11, riding donkeys, delivered medical supplies, food, water, and tarpaulins to the affected communities, in a journey exceeding six hours. This team consists of medical personnel, child protection experts, and a mental health team.
Mobile health clinics and emergency medical teams are also deployed on-site, with additional supplies in preparation to meet rising needs.
Lanino highlighted, Tarasin is one of the most isolated villages in one of the most remote parts of Sudan. Heavy rains and flash floods have made the response extremely challenging. The SLM/A has requested urgent international intervention for the catastrophic humanitarian situation in Tarasin.
The ongoing conflict further complicates rescue efforts, with World Vision's national director for Sudan describing the scenario as a tragedy of unimaginable scale. Approximately 150 individuals have escaped Tarsin and surrounding areas, sheltering in nearby communities as the landslide exacerbates the pre-existing humanitarian crisis in Sudan.
As heavy rainfall affects at least 21 regions across Sudan, fears of disease outbreaks arise. Experts predict the unusually wet season may continue into September, pressuring already strained humanitarian resources.
