In brief
Aid workers from Save the Children have successfully reached survivors of a catastrophic landslide in Tarasin, Sudan, using donkeys to navigate the treacherous terrain exacerbated by heavy rains. While local leaders report hundreds of deaths, the exact toll remains uncertain as rescue efforts continue amidst ongoing conflict in the region. The international community is urged to intervene as the humanitarian crisis deepens.
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, meaning donkeys are the only way to reach the affected families.
Families in Tarsin 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 aid agency Save the Children.
The armed group in charge of the area put the number of casualties at 1,000, however the health ministry says only two bodies have been recovered, creating discrepancies in the death toll.
Local leaders reported they had recovered and buried hundreds of bodies, indicating a tragic scale of loss.
Antoine Gérard, the UN's deputy humanitarian co-ordinator for Sudan, noted the difficulties in assessing the situation due to the challenging terrain.
The response from aid organizations is ongoing, with emergency supplies being delivered. An emergency team of 11 staff managed to reach the isolated village, providing critical medical assistance, food, and water.
The ongoing conflict has severely hampered rescue efforts, and reports indicate that around 150 people were displaced from Tarsin.
As aid groups continue to mobilize, the United Nations emphasized the need for international support to address what they characterize as a catastrophic humanitarian crisis in Tarasin.
With fears of disease outbreaks due to flooding, experts warn that the situation in Sudan, where millions are already in need of assistance, could worsen significantly in the coming weeks.
