A landslide has killed at least 370 people in the remote Marra Mountains in western Sudan, a UN official has reported. Antoine Gérard, the UN's deputy humanitarian co-ordinator for Sudan, conveyed the difficulties in assessing the incident due to the area being hard to reach.
The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), which governs the affected territory, has suggested that the death toll could be as high as 1,000.
The landslide occurred after several days of heavy rain on Sunday, which resulted in significant destruction, leaving only one survivor and devastating the village of Tarseen.
The SLM/A has urgently appealed for humanitarian assistance from the UN and other organizations, yet the delivery of aid is complicated by the challenging terrain and rainy season conditions.
We do not have helicopters; everything must be transported by vehicle over bumpy roads that can take considerable time to navigate during this season, Mr. Gérard explained.
Many individuals in the area had already fled conflict in North Darfur, seeking safety in the Marra Mountains. The local governor, Minni Minnawi, characterized the landslide as a humanitarian tragedy and has called for immediate international support.
International leaders, including the head of the African Union Commission, have advocated for a ceasefire to facilitate humanitarian aid to the affected populations.
The civil war ignited in April 2023 continues to exacerbate the region's challenges, with reports estimating tens of thousands of fatalities and millions displaced as violence persists.
