UN: Floods Affected Over 288,000 People in Sudan

A satellite image shows Halfie Elmouluk as heavy floods sweep through Khartoum, Sudan, Sept. 5, 2020. (REUTERS Photo)
A satellite image shows Halfie Elmouluk as heavy floods sweep through Khartoum, Sudan, Sept. 5, 2020. (REUTERS Photo)
TT
20

UN: Floods Affected Over 288,000 People in Sudan

A satellite image shows Halfie Elmouluk as heavy floods sweep through Khartoum, Sudan, Sept. 5, 2020. (REUTERS Photo)
A satellite image shows Halfie Elmouluk as heavy floods sweep through Khartoum, Sudan, Sept. 5, 2020. (REUTERS Photo)

Heavy rains and flash floods affected over 288,000 people across Sudan as of September 16, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) reported.

Over 43,700 homes were damaged, and an unconfirmed number of public infrastructure facilities and farmlands have been affected.

Heavy rain and flooding have been reported in 13 out of 18 states. Aj Jazirah, South Darfur, Gedaref, and West Darfur are the most affected states.

The Government, led by the Humanitarian Aid Commission (HAC), and humanitarian partners have started providing life-saving assistance to people affected. However, prepositioned relief items are being depleted and there is an urgent need to replenish stocks, especially if the humanitarian situation deteriorates further, said OCHA.

In support of the flood response, the Sudan Humanitarian Fund (SHF) has allocated $7.7 million to 14 NGOs in 15 states to finance swift humanitarian response when needed.

In addition, some $7 million has been allocated to four UN agencies for the procurement of emergency stocks. Another $3.5 million is available for floods rapid response activities.

In 2020, almost 900,000 people across 18 states were affected in the worst flooding in the country in 100 years.

Over 140 people died, around 18,000 homes were destroyed.

An estimated 2.2 million hectares of agricultural land was flooded, representing 26 percent of cultivated areas in 15 assessed states.

Flash floods submerged villages and caused immense damage to infrastructure, including dams, roads, bridges, and highways.

Due to unreliable drainage systems, there was stagnant water in different locations, posing a risk to health outbreaks as pools of water become breeding grounds for water-borne and vector-borne diseases such as cholera, dengue fever, rift valley fever, and chikungunya.

Hygiene and sanitary levels plummeted due to flooded latrines and contaminated water supplies, preventing people from exercising necessary COVID-19 prevention measures.



US Opens Diplomatic Track to Revise Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Deal

07 July 2025, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun shakes hands with Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack ahead of their meeting in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, in Beirut. Photo: Lebanese Presidency Office Apai/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
07 July 2025, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun shakes hands with Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack ahead of their meeting in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, in Beirut. Photo: Lebanese Presidency Office Apai/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
TT
20

US Opens Diplomatic Track to Revise Lebanon-Israel Ceasefire Deal

07 July 2025, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun shakes hands with Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack ahead of their meeting in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, in Beirut. Photo: Lebanese Presidency Office Apai/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa
07 July 2025, Lebanon, Beirut: Lebanese President Joseph Aoun shakes hands with Special Envoy to Syria Thomas Barrack ahead of their meeting in the presence of US Ambassador to Lebanon Lisa Johnson, in Beirut. Photo: Lebanese Presidency Office Apai/APA Images via ZUMA Press Wire/dpa

A high-stakes visit by US envoy Tom Barrack to Beirut has opened a “diplomatic window” to de-escalate tensions along the Israel-Lebanon border, as Lebanese officials formally submitted a response to a US proposal aimed at ending hostilities – one that includes a path toward disarming Hezbollah.

Barrack’s arrival followed a spike in Israeli military activity that many in Lebanon interpreted as a warning: either accept the US-brokered framework or face the risk of wider conflict.

Lebanese officials told Asharq al-Awsat that Barrack praised Beirut’s “measured and thoughtful” response and plans to study it carefully before relaying his feedback through the US Embassy in Beirut within days. He may return to Lebanon within two weeks if progress continues as expected.

The official response, presented in the name of President Michel Aoun, Speaker Nabih Berri and Prime Minister Nawaf Salam, did not include Hezbollah’s stance.

The group reportedly abstained from joining the presidential committee tasked with drafting the reply.

Still, Berri later submitted separate comments on behalf of the Shiite political alliance that includes his Amal Movement and Hezbollah.

A source close to Berri said the speaker emphasized the need for a “firm and verifiable ceasefire commitment from Israel before any further discussions.”

US Seeks to Patch Ceasefire Gaps

Speaking to reporters in Beirut, Barrack acknowledged that the ceasefire agreement, which paused cross-border fighting in November, lacked strong enforcement mechanisms.

There was no US guarantor in that deal, he said, suggesting that the current talks aim to close those loopholes.

Salam echoed the sentiment, saying the American envoy brought with him “new arrangements to halt hostilities.”

Barrack, who also serves as the US Ambassador to Türkiye and special envoy on Syria, met with Aoun alongside the US ambassador to Lebanon and other officials.

Following the 90-minute meeting, the presidency issued a statement saying Barrack had received “Lebanon’s comprehensive ideas for a solution.”

“Lebanon Must Seize the Moment”

In remarks to journalists, Barrack urged Lebanon to seize what he called a fleeting opportunity for peace and reconstruction.

“What the government gave us was something spectacular in a very short period of time,” Barrack told reporters after meeting Aoun. “I’m unbelievably satisfied with the response.”

Barrack said the current opportunity would require everyone to compromise a little, including letting go of false hopes, unrealistic expectations, and internal hostilities.

When asked about Hezbollah’s rejection of disarmament, Barrack drew a firm line.

He made it clear that the United States has no intention of engaging directly with Hezbollah, insisting that it is up to the Lebanese themselves to address the group’s role. He dismissed any notion that Washington was pushing for regime change or aiming to reshape Lebanon’s sectarian political system.

Instead, he stressed that meaningful reform must come from within, warning that if Lebanon chooses not to act, the rest of the region will continue advancing without it.

Barrack rejected claims that the United States had failed to ensure Israel’s adherence to the previous ceasefire, arguing that the issue stemmed from the absence of a formal security guarantor.

He explained that while a mechanism existed - primarily through UNIFIL - it lacked the authority and credibility needed to enforce compliance. He noted that the Lebanese government is now working to address those shortcomings.

Barrack revealed that Lebanon’s reply addressed 15 specific points. While some differed from the US proposal, he called the Lebanese response “highly responsible.”

He also linked the US initiative to broader international frameworks, including IMF reforms and Lebanese cabinet policies, suggesting that southern Lebanon’s reconstruction and normalization with Israel are part of a larger diplomatic puzzle.

Barrack also pointed to recent developments involving Israel and Syria, revealing that dialogue between the two has begun, and describing the process as complex but necessary.

As for Lebanon's fraught relationship with Israel, Barrack struck a cautiously hopeful tone. "I believe Lebanon and Israel are ultimately seeking the same thing. Israel does not want war with Lebanon, nor does it wish to occupy Lebanon."

Concluding his remarks, Barrack stressed the role of the US, saying, "America cannot provide all the answers. We can only assist from the outside. The real solutions must come from within."