Djibouti, Djibouti – The families and communities impacted by the devastating landslip in North Darfur State, Republic of Sudan, which has destroyed an entire village in the Marra Mountains and claimed over 1,000 lives, have received the sincerest condolences of IGAD Executive Secretary Dr Workneh Gebeyehu.
The catastrophe occurred in Tarasin, North Darfur State, according to local reports, causing extensive damage and exacerbating the suffering of the impacted communities.
“Due to the ongoing battle that has been going on since April 2023 and has resulted in a significant loss of life and livelihood, the people of the Republic of Sudan are already going through a great deal of difficulty at the time of this tragedy,” Dr. Workneh.
In a statement, Dr. Workneh expressed IGAD’s sincere condolences to the people of the Republic of Sudan, especially to the impacted villages and their grieving families.
According to the UN, aid is being sent to survivors of the landslide. The BBC was informed by Luca Renda, the acting UN Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator in Sudan, that rescuers, food, and other help were being sent and that a more comprehensive picture would be obtained shortly.
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), the military group in charge of the impacted region, has previously stated that up to 1,000 people might have perished. A local rescue crew has retrieved nine bodies.
Only one person survived Sunday’s landslip, which “levelled” parts of the village of Tarseen and was caused by days of intense rain, the group said in a statement.
Why the Sudan landslide death toll is being contested
The UN’s deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, Antoine Gérard, said that 370 people had died, but he said it was difficult to determine the full extent of the tragedy or the precise number of fatalities because the region was so difficult to access.
The UN and other regional and international agencies have been urged to provide humanitarian aid by the SLM/A.
Abdel Wahid Mohamed al-Nur, the group’s head, defended his group’s claim on the death toll, which has been contested by certain reports, in an interview with the BBC Newsday program on Wednesday.
Although it had been “empty” at first, he added, many people had relocated to the “naturally protective” area for safety following the civil conflict that had decimated the nation in recent years. In that dispute, the SLM/A has maintained its neutrality.
“The death toll has been verified by those on the ground. According to our civic authority there, at than 1,000 people have either died or are at least buried beneath the muck.
“Those people who are talking, they are talking according to their past knowledge, but we are talking about recent knowledge,” he stated.
How can humanitarian agencies support the victims
In addition to calling for humanitarian relief, such as food and medical supplies, for everyone impacted, the SLM/A leader stated that immediate rescue attempts were required and that survivors were deeply affected psychologically by the tragedy.
Nine dead have been found so far, according to a local team in charge of rescue operations, and the hunt for the missing is still ongoing, the BBC said.
Meanwhile, Dr. Workneh reiterated IGAD’s support for the Republic of Sudan during this time of heightened sorrow and emphasised the necessity of peace, solidarity, and fortitude.
He also stressed the significance of enabling prompt humanitarian aid to reach those who are most in need.
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