Landslide in Sudan’s Darfur kills hundreds, many children among victims Rescue efforts continue

A devastating landslide in Sudan’s western Darfur region has killed more than 1,000 people, including as many as 200 children, according to a prominent aid group. The disaster struck on August 31 in the village of Tarasin, nestled in the Marrah Mountains, after days of heavy rainfall.

Save the Children reported on September 5 that 150 people, including 40 children, survived the landslide and were receiving medical treatment.

“This is a tragedy [within]a tragedy that is the current conflict in Sudan. This is one of the worst natural disasters that has happened in Sudan,” said Francesco Lanino, the organisation’s operations director for Sudan, in remarks to The Associated Press.

Sudanese authorities said they had recovered 375 bodies as of September 4, with search and rescue operations still underway in the mud and debris.

The disaster comes as Sudan grapples with one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises, driven by a civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the Sudanese army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces.

The conflict, which began in the capital Khartoum and spread nationwide, has left more than 40,000 people dead and displaced an estimated 12 million.

By Sabina Mammadli