Flooding in Sudan at the end of August, specifically in the Khartoum, Gezira, Gadarif, West Kordofan and South Darfur regions, has left more than a 100 people dead and more than half a million homeless, with 100,000 homes in ruins. The floods began when excessive rain in Ethiopia caused the Nile River to rise to approximately 17.5 meters, the highest level reached by the river in a century.

As a result of the disaster, Sudan has now declared a three-month state of emergency. This video demonstrates the severity of these floods, showing Sudanese citizens and their homes drowning in muddy water. Nafahat Abdulrahman, a Sudanese national whose home was one of many affected by the flooding, said in the video, “We were surprised this year when the Nile waters entered our neighborhood. We didn’t know what to do.”

Sudanese citizens are also witnessing the emergence of waterborne diseases. An Al Jazeera report shows Mohannad Salah, a 13-year-old Sudanese boy who suffered from a parasitic infection caused by the lack of clean drinking water. His home was destroyed in flooding and he is currently living on the streets, unable to find proper shelter or medication, making him and many other Sudanese citizens vulnerable to Covid-19.

Others affected by the floods suffer from diarrhea, fever and stomach infections. Unfortunately, hospitals in Sudan lack the necessary medication and equipment to properly treat those suffering from these diseases. The healthcare system in Sudan was deeply affected under President Omar Al Bashir’s rule, described as being “laid to waste” during his regime.

Several organizations are working on the ground to provide necessary support to those affected. Nafeer is one such initiative based in Sudan. The Gazelle reached out to Sara Babiker Elhag Babiker, one of the volunteers for the Nafeer medical team, who shared that Nafeer was formed to collect donations from various regions and send them to those affected in the flooded regions.

“It’s [Nafeer’s] mission is to help those affected by floods, specifically during the fall, when rain is usually heaviest,” Babiker shared. Nafeer accomplishes this goal by sending out teams to survey affected areas and collect data onsite to deliver necessities such as medicine, food and tents.

“Some villages have completely drowned, many areas such as schools and health centers have been destroyed and a large number of civilians have lost shelter,” Babiker stated. “We have discovered cases of diarrhea due to unclean drinking water and many mosquitos which have resulted in malaria infections.”

In another video, one of Nafeer’s representatives talks about the effects of the flooding: “We are now in South Umdorman. Currently, 44 families are living in the streets and 80 people’s houses have been partially destroyed: their bathrooms and walls have fallen. Civilians are entering and leaving the neighborhood in boats.”

A second representative said, “As you can see, the current situation in Sudan is terrible. The floods have swept [through] a lot of regions and villages. Many regions have been harmed. Some people are currently homeless in the streets, unable to find shelter.”

Another video shows Nafeer’s efforts in helping victims of the flooding in affected regions. Some trucks arrive, and Nafeer’s volunteers give sandbags to civilians who are waiting at the other end.

Nafeer has also started a fundraiser to collect donations.