Sudanese citizens accuse government of negligence after floods
The floods hit hard: Just a few days into August the Sudanese Red Crescent organisation said that eight people were killed by floods in Khartoum. Nafeer information committee, as ‘Al-Intibaha’ newspaper reported in its issue on Monday, August 12, that more than 7,000 houses were damaged while 72,000 people were affected.
Heavy rains and flash floods has affected some 530,000 people across Sudan.
On August 26, Sudan Tribune reported that according to the latest government figures, heavy rains and flash floods has affected some 530,000 people across Sudan and destroyed or damaged 74,000 homes, with an estimated 84,000 people affected in Khartoum alone.
The Autumn Season Emergency Room in Khartoum State released a statement two weeks ago, calling on residents living near the Nile to be careful and ready for any emergency procedure in order to save lives and properties”.
However, citizens said the impact of the flood was extreme. They described pipes exploding, mixing sewage with rain water. Locals accused the government of carelessness and called for the removal of Khartoum’s Governor and his government.
In a press conference held with the participation of the Coalition of Oppositionist Forces of National Consensus, local representatives described a complete absence of officials and accused the state government of imposing a media blackout on the catastrophe. They called for the dismissal of the Western Nile governor.
Khartoum’s Governor Abdurrahman Khoder undertook a helicopter visit to evaluate the damage. In a statement reported by journalists on Saturday, August 3, he said the areas most affected were the Western Nile district, Fateh City in Korari District and Umbda District in the northern and eastern parts of Omdurman City.
Khartoum North’s citizens demanded the removal of Khartoum’s Governor and Khartoum North district’s Governor and called on them to take responsibility for the disaster, alongside the companies that supervised the installation of sewerage in Mao’na, Azzeim, Azhariand Inkazmain streets.
Horrible accidents took place in the city’s main roads,” Ashraf Hasan said, a resident in Khartoum Bahri.
All the party houses are to be opened to accommodate the affected people Sudan wide.”
Meanwhile, medical sources in Bahri Hospital said they received more than 50 critical cases before Monday, August 5, after people fell down pits due to bad installation of pipes.
Ibrahim Mahmud Hamed, Minister of Interior said that Qatar Prince Sheikh Tamim Bin Hamad Al Thani would provide an air lift from Qatar to provide emergency aid. In a statement to the Sudanese News Agency SUNA, the minster said the aid included housing materials, medicines and other materials.
Muhammad Othman Mirghani, Khetmiah Doctrine leader and Head of the Democratic Unionist Party said his party would join the effort: All the party houses are to be opened to accommodate the affected people Sudan wide.”
Hundreds of Sudanese young people from the Civil Action Front launched an initiative called ‘Nafeer’ to provide emergency services and aid to those affected.
Photos of the flood’s destruction in Khartoum:
