Trapped in the Mountains Due to the Collapse of the Arbaat Dam

The Arbaat Dam, the primary source of drinking water for Port Sudan, collapsed following heavy rains that lasted for hours. Civil society organizations have issued calls to evacuate citizens trapped in the mountains of the region.

A representative from the civil society organizations in the Arbaat area, located in the Qanbab al-Olib locality, Obshar Adam, said in a video clip that many people are trapped in the mountains and need helicopters to rescue them. He predicted fatalities due to the dam waters that began surrounding villages since Saturday.

In the same context, the Chairman of the Transitional Sovereignty Council and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces, General Abdel Fattah Al-Burhan, on Sunday, inspected the areas affected by floods and rains in the Arbaat area of Qanbab al-Olib locality in the Red Sea State. He reviewed the extent of the damage and losses suffered by citizens in those areas, affirming the state’s full support to the affected people and its commitment to providing everything necessary to alleviate the disaster’s impact on them.

The Chairman of the Sovereignty Council directed all state and federal bodies to mobilize all resources to assist the citizens in these areas and provide them with support and aid.

Sources speaking to “Sudan Tribune” from Port Sudan expected the collapse of the Arbaat Dam to cause a severe water crisis in the city. The army and security forces participated in evacuating citizens trapped amid the floodwaters that inundated vast areas of Qanbab al-Olib locality.

The Red Sea State Governor, Mustafa Mohamed Nour, the commander of the Red Sea military area, Major General Mohamed Othman Mohamed Hamad, and members of the state’s security committee arrived late Saturday night to inspect the area surrounding the Arbaat Dam. The governor ordered the use of all available resources and capabilities of the security forces and state government to ensure the success of the rescue operations.