Azerbaijan condoles with Sudan over catastrophic landslide that killed hundreds

The Foreign Ministry of Azerbaijan has expressed its condolences to Sudan following the loss of lives caused by a devastating landslide.

“We express our profound sorrow over the tragic loss of lives caused by the landslide in Sudan. We extend our heartfelt condolences to the families of the victims and share the grief of the brotherly people of Sudan in this difficult time,” Caliber.Az quotes the Ministry as saying on X on September 4. 

The Azerbaijani Foreign Ministry also wished a speedy recovery to the injured and expressed hope that the people of Sudan would overcome the consequences of this tragedy with strength and resilience.

On August 31, a massive landslide triggered by days of heavy rainfall devastated the village of Tarasin in Sudan’s Marrah Mountains, located in the Central Darfur region. The disaster, one of the deadliest natural disasters in Sudan’s recent history, completely levelled the village, leaving only one reported survivor.

The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), which controls the area, estimated that over 1,000 people perished, stating, “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand individuals.” However, Antoine Gérard, the UN’s deputy humanitarian coordinator for Sudan, reported a lower figure of at least 370 deaths, noting that the exact toll is difficult to confirm due to the remote location and challenging access conditions. Luca Renda, the UN humanitarian coordinator in Sudan, suggested that between 300 and 1,000 people may have lost their lives.

By Khagan Isayev