In Sudan’s western Darfur region, villagers are desperately digging through rubble with their bare hands in a bid to recover loved ones buried by a catastrophic landslide that struck on Sunday, according to aid organization Save the Children.
“There are no tools or machinery available people are excavating by hand to rescue the bodies of their relatives,” said Francesco Lanino, the group’s deputy director for programs and operations in Sudan.
The death toll remains uncertain. While a local armed group claims up to 1,000 lives may have been lost, Sudan’s national health ministry has confirmed only two bodies so far. Save the Children, citing the Civil Authority, reports at least 373 bodies have been recovered. Lanino added that among the possible 1,000 victims, around 200 are believed to be children.
The landslide, triggered by intense rainfall, has left behind scenes of “destruction and devastation,” with aid workers describing it as one of the worst disasters in the region’s history. In the hardest-hit village within the Tarseen area comprising five villages only one survivor has been found.
Due to the region’s isolation, verifying the full extent of the disaster has proven difficult. However, reports verify used satellite imagery to identify nine structures that were swept away. Aid workers from Save the Children endured a grueling six-hour journey across 22 kilometers of treacherous terrain some on donkey to deliver the first wave of humanitarian aid.
Compounding the crisis is Sudan’s ongoing civil war, which has severely hampered rescue and relief efforts. World Vision, another aid group, highlighted the challenges posed by the conflict between the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the national army.
Beyond the landslide, Sudan faces a broader humanitarian emergency. Since fighting erupted in 2023, estimates suggest up to 150,000 people have died, and over 12 million have been displaced from their homes.
