Death toll in Sudan from floods, heavy rains rises to 132

By Adel Abdel-Rahim

KHARTOUM, Sudan (AA) - The death toll in Sudan from floods due to a collapsed dam and heavy rains has risen to 132, authorities said late Monday

An emergency government committee said the death toll in 10 provinces rose to 132, while the number of affected families rose to 31,666 and individuals to 129,650.

It added that the heavy rains left 12,420 homes collapsed and 11,472 others partially collapsed.

Heavy rain on Saturday flooded the Arbat area north of the Red Sea city of Port Sudan, causing the Arbat Dam to collapse and wash away entire villages.

Hundreds of residents fled to mountain peaks to avoid the danger of the floods while others remained trapped in villages, according to the Sudanese daily Al-Taghyeer.

The dam was constructed in 2003 to capture rainwater for use during the dry season, but it has not undergone regular maintenance for several years.

*Writing by Ahmed Asmar