A famine-stricken camp in Sudan’s conflict-torn Darfur region faces a new crisis as devastating floods threaten to contaminate water and sanitation facilities. Satellite imagery published by Yale Humanitarian Research Lab reveals that nine out of 13 water points and numerous toilets in Zamzam camp, North Darfur, have been inundated, increasing the risk of cholera and other diseases.
Desperate Need for Aid
The Zamzam camp, hosting about 500,000 internally displaced people (IDPs), has become even more crowded due to recent fighting between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF). The conflict, which began in April 2023, has forced many to seek refuge in the already struggling camp.
Duria Abdelrahman, a new arrival at the camp, shared her plight, saying, “We need water, food, healthcare, and for God to lift this curse from Sudan.” Many, including women, were seen cleaning leaves to eat, highlighting the desperate need for aid.
The situation in Zamzam has been classified as a famine by the world’s global hunger monitor. This marks only the third such classification since the Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) was established two decades ago.
Conflict and Aid Challenges
In response to the famine declaration, the RSF expressed “full solidarity” with the victims and offered to work with the United Nations to facilitate aid delivery. However, aid workers report that the army has obstructed humanitarian access, and the RSF has looted significant quantities of aid that managed to get through. Both sides deny impeding relief efforts.
Nathaniel Raymond, executive director of the Yale Humanitarian Research Lab, described the situation as a worst-case scenario for humanitarians. “A population already vulnerable due to being food and water deprived, on the move and under siege, now is surrounded by floodwaters that are contaminated with human and animal feces,” he said.
Zamzam, near al-Fashir, North Darfur’s capital, remains one of the few areas not controlled by the RSF. However, recent RSF attacks have killed at least 65 people in the city, and the main hospital is out of service due to these assaults.
Unsafe Water and Sanitation
Residents of Zamzam camp have limited access to fresh water. Yahia Ali, a camp resident, pointed to brown rainwater collected in a tarp, saying, “The water is unsafe because it mixes with all the dirt. And even though it’s dirty, we are forced to drink it.”
Satellite imagery from Yale researchers identified enough standing water in the camp to cover at least 125 soccer pitches. The images also showed submerged toilets at Al Salam School 36 for Adolescents and another school compound.
In al-Fashir, flooding has affected hospitals, food and water distribution sites, and markets. The Mawashi Market, where livestock is slaughtered and sold, was also inundated, posing a significant contamination risk.
Broader Implications
The crisis in Zamzam is not isolated. The IPC has indicated that famine conditions are likely in 14 locations across Sudan, most of them other displacement camps. Adam Rojal, spokesman for the Displacement Camps Coordinating Committee, stated, “This is not just the situation in Zamzam, but the condition of all the other camps in Darfur, more than 171 camps suffering the same conditions.”
As of early July, Sudan had reported 11,000 cholera cases nationwide, according to the health ministry, although none had been recorded in North Darfur. However, the risk of waterborne diseases remains high due to the current conditions.
The ongoing conflict and natural disasters have created an untenable situation for the residents of Zamzam and other camps in Darfur. Immediate and sustained international aid and intervention are crucial to prevent further loss of life and to alleviate the suffering of the displaced populations.
Source: Reuters
