DARFUR Villagers Dig by Hand to Rescue Victims After Devastating Landslide
Residents in Sudan’s western Darfur region are tirelessly digging by hand to reach victims trapped under the rubble after a catastrophic landslide buried multiple villages on Sunday, according to aid group Save the Children.
Desperate Search for Survivors
Francesco Lanino, the deputy Sudan director for programs and operations at Save the Children, reported that people are using their bare hands to excavate and rescue the bodies of their loved ones, as there are no tools or machinery available in the remote area.
Conflicting Reports on Death Toll
Confusion surrounds the exact number of casualties, with an armed group claiming up to 1,000 fatalities while Sudan’s health ministry confirming only two recovered bodies. Save the Children has discovered at least 373 bodies so far, with Lanino expressing concerns that the death toll could reach 1,000, including approximately 200 children.
Devastation and Remote Accessibility
Aid workers have described scenes of “destruction and devastation” in the Tarseen area, consisting of five villages. The difficult terrain and remoteness of the region have made it challenging to verify the extent of the landslide, with only one survivor found in the worst-affected village.
Logistical Challenges in Relief Efforts
Save the Children staff faced a grueling journey of over six hours, covering 22 kilometers of rocky and muddy terrain, much of it on donkey, to reach the disaster zone. Despite the obstacles, they successfully delivered the first humanitarian supplies to the survivors.
Complications Due to Civil War
The ongoing civil war in Sudan has further complicated rescue efforts, with World Vision highlighting that hostilities between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army have hindered aid access. The conflict has already caused a humanitarian crisis, with an estimated 150,000 people killed since the fighting began in 2023.
