Sudan: Floods in Sudan put more than 10 million people at risk of water-borne diseases (10.10.2020)

COVID-19 transmissions continue and new cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus have been reported.

GENEVA, Switzerland, October 10, 2020 –

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Rains started to subside and flood waters are receding in Sudan, after months of heavy rainfall that left more than 875,000 people affected by unprecedented flooding.
  • Over 10 million people are now at risk of contracting water-borne diseases and 4.5 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases, a 100 per cent more than in April 2020.
  • Meanwhile, a surging inflation is leading to increased humanitarian needs in Sudan and hampering humanitarian assistance when millions of vulnerable people need it the most.
  • COVID-19 transmissions continue and new cases of vaccine-derived poliovirus have been reported. Around 10 million doses of polio vaccine arrived in Khartoum.
  • Humanitarians are responding, but the extremely low funding, especially for health and water, hygiene and sanitation services are hampering aid organizations’ capacity to operate.

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EMERGENCY RESPONSE

Floods in Sudan – Situation Report

HIGHLIGHTS

  • Rains started to subside and flood waters are receding in Sudan, after months of heavy rainfall that left more than 875,000 people affected by unprecedented flooding.
  • Torrential downpours, landslides, flash and riverine flooding have killed over 150 people and left a path of destruction in all states across the country, according to the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission data.
  • More than 30 per cent of the water samples analyzed across 13 states were contaminated and the extensive damage to hundreds of water sources, the collapse of several thousands of latrines increase the likelihood of disease outbreaks.
  • Over 10 million people are now at risk of contracting water-borne diseases, and more than 4.5 million are exposed to vector-borne diseases, an increase of nearly 100 per cent if compared with April 2020.
  • Malaria cases have increased in seven localities of North Darfur and different parts of Sennar State. West Darfur reported nearly 100 cases of chikungunya, and hundreds of cases of viral haemorrhagic fever have been reported in Northern, River Nile, Kassala, Khartoum, Sennar and West Kordofan states.
  • Humanitarians are in a race against time to respond to the crisis and save lives, but the extremely low funding, especially for health and water, hygiene and sanitation services are hampering aid organizations’ capacity to operate.

SITUATION OVERVIEW

Flood waters started to recede in most of Sudan, following several weeks of torrential downpours that have caused deaths, displacement, and massive destructions to key infrastructure and livelihoods across the country.

As of 6 October, 155 people lost their lives and the number of people critically affected reached over 875,000, according to the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission. At least 150,000 refugees and internally displaced people are among those affected, according to UNHCR.

More than 82,500 houses have been completely destroyed and there are reports of nearly 92,600 houses damaged, generating dire and urgent need for shelter and household supplies. Several farms are flooded, especially in riverine areas along the White Nile, Blue Nile and Nile rivers, according to WFP, in a country where 9.6 million people are facing severe hunger.

Over 560 schools are damaged and another 60 are being used as shelter by displaced people. This could further compromise the starting of the academic year, already postponed from September to the end of November, due to challenges with resources to adapt the fragile education system to minimize the risks of COVID-19. Access to clean water and health services, in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic, has been compromised. Thousands of health centres are damaged or non-functional, around 30,000 latrines collapsed and the break of the Bout Earth Dam in Blue Nile State, on 29 July, risks compromising access to water for over 100,000 people, including IDPs and refugees, who rely on it as their primary source of water. The extensive level of damages increase the challenges to prevent and treat possible disease outbreaks. Malaria, dengue and cholera are endemic in several parts of Sudan, and the risk of these and other water-borne and vector-borne disease increases with the floods and stagnant water. The flooding also brings protection concerns, especially amongst children, women, and displaced people. Families who lost everything can be forced to rely on negative coping strategies to survive, including child labour that is already being reported, according to humanitarian partners. The lack of education services poses children at higher risk of exploitation, and the extra burden on affected families also increases cases of violence against women and girls. People living with disabilities or chronic diseases, elderly, pregnant and lactating women also need specific services that are now compromised by the destruction of facilities and reduced services.

The Government and aid organizations are closely monitoring the situation and providing life-saving assistance to people affected. Humanitarians reached over 400,000 people with critical support. But the stock is being depleted rapidly and more support, including from donors, is urgently needed. The Sudan Humanitarian Response Plan for 2020, which seeks US$1.6 billion, is less than 46 per cent funded.

Sudan: UNAMID JSR congratulates the Sudanese parties on the formal signing of the peace agreement (03.10.2020)

Juba, 03 October 2020 – The Joint Special Representative for the African Union-United Mission in Darfur (UNAMID), Jeremiah Mamabolo, today attended the formal signing of the peace agreement between the transitional Government of Sudan, the Sudan Revolutionary Front (SRF), the Sudan Liberation Movement–Minni Minnawi (SLM/MM) and Sudan People’s Liberation Movement-North (SPLM-N) of Malik Agar in Juba, South Sudan.

On this occasion, Mr. Mamabolo echoed the key message expressed in the UN Secretary General’s remarks to the signing ceremony, in which Mr. António Guterres welcomed the peace agreement as a historic milestone for the people of Sudan on the road of achieving peace and sustainable development.

“In his message, the Secretary General also commended the signatories and the South Sudanese mediation on their perseverance despite the difficulties paused by the COVID-19 Pandemic and called on the Sudan People’s Liberation Movement–North Abdelaziz Al-Hilu to fully engage in negotiations — embracing the opportunity presented by the recent signing of the agreement on principles alongside Prime Minister Hamdok in Addis Ababa” JSR Mamabolo said to the media.

“Mr. Guterres also called on the Sudan Liberation Army Abdul Wahid Al-Nur to immediately join the peace process,” Mr. Mamabolo added.

JSR Mamabolo reiterated UNAMID’s commitment to fulfilling the Secretary General’s wish of supporting Sudan’s historic journey towards peace.

Sudan alert: Flooding and surging inflation threaten humanitarian assistance (02.10.2020)

COVID-19 virus transmission has continued, with 13,653 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 836 deaths.

NEW YORK, United States of America, October 2, 2020 – Catastrophic flooding and rising food and health costs in Sudan, have driven up the number of people in need, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said on Friday.

Authorities declared a three-month state of emergency in early September after the worst flooding in 30 years. 

To date, more than 860,000 people have had houses destroyed or damaged and more than 120 people have died. 

Some 560 schools and thousands of health facilities have also been affected, compromising essential services to communities, especially in North Darfur, Khartoum, West Darfur and Sennar, which account for 52 per cent of all people affected 400,000 reached and counting 

The response by UN agencies and partners has reached more than 400,000 people so far, including emergency shelter and essential household items relief to over 181,000 flood-affected refugees, 1.87 million internally displaced people and Sudanese across the country. 

Meanwhile, COVID-19 virus transmission has continued, with 13,653 confirmed cases of COVID-19 with 836 deaths, according official data from the World Health Organization (WHO). 

Amid growing needs, surging inflation – reaching nearly 170 per cent in August – has caused a shortage of basic commodities and increased prices of some locally sourced supplies by 300 to 400 per cent. 

“In some cases, by the time the procurement process is finalized, the supplies have increased prices, so that the original budgets are no longer valid”, said OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke.  

He explained that this meant the purchasing process had to begin again and “there is no guarantee that by the time that that process is done, that the prices will not have risen once again”

Healthcare costs have also increased by up to 90 per cent, OCHA Sudan said in a recent tweet

In Geneva, Mr. Laerke noted that the price of an average family food basket had increased by over 200 per cent since last year, based on World Food Programme (WFP) data, increasing pressure on already dramatic levels of food insecurity across Sudan, where 9.6 million people are described as “severely” in need.  

Cash shortfalls 

Inflation has also affected the UN’s humanitarian partners which provide cash support to vulnerable families, as they are constantly having to adjust the amounts transferred, Mr. Laerke said. 

Even with these adjustments, many families are no longer able to purchase what they need with the cash received. 

Today, only one in four families who previously relied on outside assistance now receives it, the OCHA spokesperson said.  

Crop failure 

Another concern in Sudan is that large areas of farmland are under water or ruined just before harvest.  

“Most families in Sudan already spent around 65 per cent of their income on food, so these price hikes lead to increased hunger and less education, health and other services that families de-prioritize as they try to cope with the economic hardship”, Mr. Laerke explained.

Sudan: Humanitarians assist hundreds of thousands of people as the country faces its worst flooding in decades (21.09.2020)

World Food Programme (WFP) expands assistance to families struggling in flood-devastated regions of Sudan (17.09.2020)

The flooding is the worst Sudan has seen in nearly a century.

KHARTOUM, Sudan, September 17, 2020 – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up its emergency food assistance to reach nearly 160,000 people hit by devastating floods that have affected nine states of Sudan.

“Rains and floods have been much worse than anyone could have anticipated, causing a national disaster,” said WFP Representative and Country Director in Sudan, Hameed Nuru ”People have lost their homes, farmlands, schools and loved ones. Some of these people have lost everything.”

The flooding is the worst Sudan has seen in nearly a century. According to the Government’s Humanitarian Aid Commission, 650,000 people have been affected since the start of the rains in mid-July.

WFP provided a first round of emergency food assistance to 7,200 people and distributions for 40,000 people are currently ongoing.  “WFP is working tirelessly with the Government of Sudan and partners to get food out to the affected people. Together, we are trying to scale up the number of people reached every day,” he added.

WFP is planning to distribute two-week rations to flood-affected people in Khartoum, East and North Darfur, White Nile, North and West Kordofan, Red Sea, Sennar, and Kassala. As more assessments are underway, the number of flood-affected people requiring food assistance is likely to increase.

With the heavy rains making access to affected areas difficult, WFP has facilitated rapid needs assessments and delivery of assistance using the WFP-managed UN Humanitarian Air Service (UNHAS). Since the start of flood season, WFP has participated in some 20 assessment missions to guide interventions and identify people who are most in need. WFP has transported three metric tons of food supplies provided by the government to flood-affected people in Bout town in Blue Nile state.

The devastating floods come at a time when hunger levels remain alarmingly high in Sudan with increased and protracted displacement, economic decline and inflation, and high food price hikes, exacerbated by the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic. Despite the challenges posed by the COVID-19 outbreak, WFP continues to provide emergency food assistance to ensure critical support reach the people in need.

“WFP is also working to implement all necessary precautions during distributions to minimize the risk of contacting or spreading COVID-19 and ensure the safety of staff and the people we serve,” Nuru said.

WFP’s flood response to date has been made possible by the generosity of donors, including German Federal Foreign Office, the United Kingdom’s Foreign Commonwealth & Development Office, and the United States Agency for International Development.

African Union (AU): Press Release on Sudan (04.09.2020)

Sudan: UN agencies support flood response in Sudan but warn aid stocks ‘rapidly’ depleting (02.09.2020)

Across Sudan, some 37,000 homes were destroyed in the floods, forcing families to seek shelter with relatives and host communities.

NEW YORK, United States of America, September 2, 2020 – The UN and its partners are supporting the Sudanese Government as it responds to recent severe flooding, which has killed 90 people and affected 380,000 others, the UN humanitarian affairs office, OCHA, said on Tuesday.

The flooding was triggered by heavy seasonal rains, mainly in neighbouring Ethiopia, which caused the Nile River to rise to nearly 17.5 metres (roughly 57 feet) this past weekend: the highest level in 100 years, according to the authorities.

OCHA spokesperson Jens Laerke said the government has declared a state of emergency in Khartoum state alone, where more than 21,000 people have been affected by flooding since the end of July.

Homes destroyed, water contaminated

Across Sudan, some 37,000 homes were destroyed in the floods, forcing families to seek shelter with relatives and host communities. Another 39,000 houses have been damaged, along with 34 schools and nearly 2,700 health facilities.

“Access to clean water – critical in the middle of the COVID-19 pandemic – has also been affected”, said Mr. Laerke, speaking from Geneva. “Some 2,000 water sources are contaminated or non-functional, according to initial assessments.”

The flooding has also impacted an estimated 125,000 refugees and internally displaced persons (IDPs), the UN refugee agency, UNHCR added.

Spokesperson Shabia Mantoo said rains have been particularly heavy in North Darfur state, leaving an estimated 35,000 IDPs, locals and refugees in need of help, where 15 people have died and a further 23 have gone missing.

“In Khartoum’s ‘Open Areas’ on the outskirts of the city, many South Sudanese refugees were living in make-shift homes and are in dire need of shelter,” she said.

“UNHCR is deeply saddened at the death of an 18-month old refugee girl who drowned in a collapsed latrine.”

Stockpiles rapidly dwindling

The UN and humanitarian partners are supporting national response with emergency shelter and household supplies, together with water, sanitation and hygiene assistance, food, health services and vector control.

Mr. Laerke reported that they were able to respond quickly as supplies to meet the needs of 250,000 people had been pre-positioned before the rains started.

However, with stocks “being depleted rapidly”, OCHA is calling for wider support from the international community as a $1.6 billion humanitarian plan for Sudan is less than 44 per cent funded.

IGAD Commends the Sudan Peace Agreement (01.09.2020)

Sudan: Violence in Eastern Sudan – Kassala and Red Sea – Flash Update No. 2 (27.08.2020)

Sudan: COVID-19, flooding and pockets of violence continue to drive humanitarian needs in Sudan (07.08.2020)

Since the start of the pandemic, over 36,000 children in White Nile received psychosocial support to deal with stress caused by COVID-19.

KHARTOUM, Sudan, August 7, 2020 – Number of COVID-19 transmissions continue to increase in Sudan. Nearly 11,800 people had contracted the virus, including 763 who died from the disease, as of 3 August.

Since the start of the pandemic, over 36,000 children in White Nile received psychosocial support to deal with stress caused by COVID-19.

Meanwhile, humanitarians and the Government are providing life-saving assistance to people who lost their houses, food and livelihoods during the recent floods across the country. More than 50,000 people have been affected so far.

Aid organizations are also assisting millions of people across Sudan in a monthly basis, despite the challenges posed by COVID-19, insecurity and the economic crisis.