Thousands of people are stranded on the streets of the eastern Sudanese city of Kassala as a deluge of rain compounds the suffering of more than a million Sudanese who sought refuge in the region from a 15-month-old war.
The rainy season that began earlier this month has already damaged shelters, made roads unusable, and will put millions at risk of water-borne diseases across large areas of the country.
The ongoing conflict between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the national army, which erupted in April 2023, has displaced more than 10 million people within Sudan. The RSF’s expansion of territory has intensified the situation, contributing to the worsening humanitarian conditions.
It comes as the number of displaced people within Sudan, currently more than 10 million, continues to tick up as the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) expands its territory in the war with the national army.
According to the United Nations, approximately 765,000 people are currently sheltering in Gedaref state, while more than 255,000 are in Kassala state. Kassala, in particular, has experienced the brunt of the recent torrential rains, leading to severe flooding and compounding the suffering of displaced residents.