Sudan dam burst leaves 60 dead, many missing

KABUL (Pajhwok): Scores of people have lost their lives while many more have been missing following the collapse of a dam in Sudan, says a media report.

At least 60 people were killed in the rain-induced dam burst in the war-torn country, where rescuers are conducting search operations to find the missing individuals.

The BBC reported the death toll could be even higher from the collapse of the Arbat dam, with a capacity of 25 million cubic metres.

For residents of Port Sudan, the dam is the key source of drinking water. Heavy rains and floods have killed scores of people and displaced tens of thousands.

The dam burst swept away farms and villages, with torrential rains damaging a fibre-optic cable, causing a communication outage in many parts of the country.

According to local newspaper Merdameek, the air force was attempting to rescue the people trapped in the mountains, where they sought refuge.

Since April, the paramilitary group the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army have been engaged in fighting.

Heavy rain and floods had affected about 317,000 people across 16 states in Sudan since June, said a report from OCHA.

PAN Monitor/mud