Sudan is grappling with worsening floods as the Blue and White Nile rivers overflow their banks, destroying hundreds of homes and intensifying the country’s already dire humanitarian crisis.
Authorities say the flooding — triggered by days of heavy rainfall — has left communities stranded, farmlands submerged, and vital infrastructure severely damaged across multiple states.
Residents recount a night of horror as floodwaters swept through their homes without warning.
“We were surprised by the floodwaters,” said Ramadan Ali, a resident. “We were asleep, and at around 1:30 in the morning, the floods arrived. We woke up and couldn’t find a way to combat this massive amount of water. Our situation is truly terrible. Everyone here is suffering right now, honestly.”
Severe flooding from the Blue and White Nile rivers has devastated parts of Sudan, leaving hundreds homeless and worsening the nation’s humanitarian crisis.
Local volunteers have been working to drain water from affected areas, but efforts have been hampered by limited equipment, poor road access, and ongoing heavy rains.
Other states badly hit by the disaster include Blue Nile, Al Jazirah, Khartoum, and River Nile, where residents say poor planning contributed to the scale of destruction.
“Heavy rains fell, but planning errors by the Abu Hamad locality in River Nile State are the cause of this disaster,” said Abdul Sami Hussein. “They built animal pens and shops in the flood zone, and these people ended up in the floodwaters.”
The Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation had earlier warned that at least six states, including Gezira and Khartoum, faced a high risk of Nile flooding this year. Authorities have urged residents in low-lying areas to relocate or take urgent precautions.
Meanwhile, the impact of the flooding has rippled beyond Sudan’s borders. Egypt, which has also experienced rising waters in parts of the Nile Delta, has blamed Ethiopia’s new dam on the Blue Nile for the surge in water levels.
Cairo claims the dam’s operations have disrupted natural water flow, while Addis Ababa insists it has released no excess water and argues the dam actually helped reduce flooding downstream.
As heavy rains persist, humanitarian agencies warn that the crisis could worsen, threatening food security, displacing more families, and deepening Sudan’s ongoing struggle with conflict and economic instability.
