A devastating landslide struck a remote village in the Marra Mountains of western Sudan on August 31, killing more than 1,000 people and leaving only one known survivor.
This disaster comes amid ongoing conflict and worsening humanitarian conditions in the Darfur region.
According to a statement by the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), led by Abdelwahid Mohamed Nour, the landslide was triggered by several days of heavy rainfall that soaked the mountainous terrain, eventually causing it to collapse. The village was completely flattened, with homes, shelters, and basic infrastructure wiped out.
“This village has now been completely levelled to the ground,” said the SLM/A in a public appeal. “Men, women, and children were all buried under the rubble. We are asking for urgent help from the United Nations and international aid organizations to recover the bodies and assist the survivor.”
The village was home to people who had fled violence in North Darfur, where a brutal two-year civil war between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) has displaced millions and left over half of Sudan’s population facing severe hunger.
The survivors of the conflict had sought safety in the Marra Mountains, hoping to escape the fighting. However, they were living with little food, poor shelter, and limited access to medicine—making them extremely vulnerable to natural disasters like the recent landslide.
The SLM/A, which controls the Marra Mountains area, says rescue efforts are beyond their capacity and that international help is urgently needed. Recovery operations are extremely difficult due to the region’s rugged terrain and the ongoing conflict nearby.
As of now, no major aid response has been confirmed from international agencies, though pressure is mounting as the scale of the tragedy becomes clearer.
Sudan has been in chaos since conflict broke out between rival military factions in 2023. The war has torn through cities like Al-Fashir, the capital of North Darfur, and has turned rural areas into warzones or refugee camps. Millions have been displaced internally and across borders, sparking one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.
Despite the violence, this natural disaster has added yet another tragic layer to Sudan’s suffering, highlighting how war, climate change, and poor infrastructure are combining to devastate communities.
Humanitarian organizations are calling on the global community to donate to relief efforts in Sudan. If you want to support, consider contributing to trusted NGOs providing aid in the Darfur region.
