SalaaMedia Report
The floods, due to the high rainfall rate this year, have created another factor of death, suffering and displacement of citizens in the Darfur region, which has been suffering from the scourges of wars since 2003. The month of August of each year witnesses the peak of rainfall rates and torrential floods. This year, floods swept more than 20 towns, villages and camps for displaced persons in the region, causing loss of life and properties, with the collapse of thousands of homes and service facilities.
In this report, the SalaaMedia team monitored the deaths and losses of resulting from this disaster, including a number of deaths, homeless, displaced persons, service facilities, roads and bridges, in addition to losses in livestock.
Rainfall rates in Darfur
The average rainfall rate in the region has ranged between 100 – 125 mm over the past thirty years. In the last four years, the rainfall rate has increased significantly, as the states of North, Central and West Darfur recorded noticeable rates of 430 mm; this indicates that climate change has occurred in the region, resulting in floods and heavy rains that have caused disasters.
Affected Towns and Villages
Floods and torrents caused severe damage to several towns in North, West and Central Darfur states. Floods hit the areas of Kerinik, Forbaranga, Kalbus, Sirba, Bayda and Morni and a number of neighborhoods in the Town of Al-Jenena in West Darfur state. Meanwhile, the areas of Kabkabyia, Kassab, Al-Maliha, Shangil Tobay, Karnoi, Shagra, Abu Shouk and Zamzam camps and a number of neighborhoods in the town of Al-Fashir were affected. In Central Darfur state, floods damaged the towns of Zalingei, and Nertiti.
Mortalities of Floods
Floods between August 5 and 19, 2044 resulted in the death of 120 people in the Darfur region; including 10 people in the town of Kabkabyia, three people including a child in the Shagra area, and one person in the Karnoi area in North Darfur. Meanwhile, the town of Al-Jenena in West Darfur recorded the death of 106 people, some of whom drowned and others whose houses collapsed on them. A woman and two of her children were killed by lightening while they were on their farm in the Bornorwa area, south of Nertiti, in Central Darfur.
Diseases and Epidemics
As a result of the floods caused by the rains, several epidemics and diseases have appeared that have affected a number of residents in different areas, including displaced persons’ camps. Local media reported that North Darfur state witnessed cases of cholera – the number of infected people were not specified – that appeared in Zamzam camp for the displaced. Meanwhile, the spread of the epidemic conjunctivitis epidemic began in the states South and East Darfur, and local residents told the media that the cases of infection range between 5 to 6 cases per day. A citizen told Darfur 24 that the rains and floods contributed to the exacerbation of the health conditions in the region, in addition to the existing problems of malaria, malnutrition, and the lack of life-saving medicines.
Influx of Displaced People
The floods that swept large parts of Darfur forced thousands of families to flee to safer areas. According to the International Organization for Migration’s Flood Displacement Tracking Matrix, between June and August 12, 2024, floods and torrential rains displaced 37,500 people. In West Darfur alone, 20,055 people were displaced from Al-Jenena, Beida, Kulbus, Kerinek and Forbaranga. While 12,925 people were displaced in North Darfur state from AlFashir, Tawela, Saraf Omra, Alkuma, Dar-Alsalam, Kabkabiya, Karnoi, Kutum, Al-Tina, and Al-Serief. In Central Darfur state, about 4,550 people were displaced from Nertiti, Selo, Wadi Saleh and Bandisi. The Negative Impacts on Displaced People’s Camps a number of IDPs camps were affected in Darfur by floods and torrential rains, including Abu Shouk, and Zamzam camps in Al-Fashir. The IOM Matrix estimated that 1,113 houses and 1,094 toilets were completely destroyed in Zamzam camps, while 913 houses and 143 toilets were partially damaged. Losses in Abu Shouk camp were estimated at 170 houses completely destroyed, and 251 houses and buildings partially destroyed. Floods also swept through Shengil Tobay camp for IDPs in North Darfur, completely destroying 500 houses and 600 toilets while 700 houses and 200 toilets were partially damaged in the camp. Losses in Fata Borno camp were estimated at 181 houses. residents of Nertiti reported that flood913 houses destroyed about 1,100 homes in the Northern and southern camp of the town between late July and early August 2024.
The Losses
The Matrix reports stated that the heavy rains and floods in Al-Surif locality destroyed four farms while one farm was partially destroyed. In Dar Difa town in Al-Maliha locality, floods swept away and killed 80 heads of cattle. The rains and floods also hindered the movements of cars and trucks carrying goods and food commodities from the town of Ad-Daba in the Nothern state to the states of Darfur. Darfur 24 quoted officials in Al-Tina locality as saying that the floods and rains that continued for two weeks prevented about 100 trucks loaded with humanitarian aid from reaching Darfur, while another 100 trucks belonging to World Food Program are stuck in the Abeche area.
Roads and Bridges
Since the start of the rainy season in Darfur this year, a number of paved roads and some bridges have collapsed, in addition to the closure of unpaved roads, such as the road linking South Sudan to the town of Al-Dein. Four bridges have collapsed, namely; Kaja, Um Duwayn, Ardamata, and Morni. Medecins Sans Frontiers (MSF) announced the collapse of the vital bridge linking the states of West, Central, and South Darfur; it is the only safe route for delivering humanitarian aid to Central and South Darfur.