AP
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The landslide wiped out villages in western Darfur, Sudan, killing an estimated 1,000 people in one of the deadliest natural disasters in the recent history of the African nation, the rebel group that controls the region said late Monday.
The tragedy took place on Sunday in the village of Thalasin in the Marathan mountains in central Darfur after days of heavy rainfall in late August, the Sudan Liberation Movement – Army said in a statement.
“The initial information shows the deaths of all village residents, estimated to be over 1,000. Only one person survived,” the statement read.
The village was “fully leveled to the ground,” the group said.
Footage shared by the Marla Mountains news outlet showed flattened areas between the mountain ranges.
The tragedy came when a catastrophic civil war entailed Sudan after tensions between the nation’s military and the paramilitary swift support forces (RSF) that exploded in battles that took place in April 2023 in capitals such as Khartoum.
Most of the Darfur region, including the Mara Mountains, is barely accessible to the UN and aid groups, who have been given crippling restrictions and fights between the Sudanese military and the RSF.
The Sudan Liberation Movement, centered around the Maratha Mountains region – is one of several rebel groups operating in the Darfur and Kordofan regions. It’s not on the side of war.
The Maratha Mountains are a sturdy volcanic chain that runs 160 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of Elfasher, the epicenter of the military and RSF. The area has been transformed into a hub for refugees fleeing the battle in and around Elfasher.
The conflict killed more than 40,000 people, forced over 14 million people, forced them to escape from their homes, and graze desperately to survive as hunger swept parts of the country.
It is characterized by awful atrocities, including ethnically motivated murder and rape, according to the United Nations and rights groups. The International Criminal Court said it is investigating alleged war crimes and crimes against humanity.
The village of Thalasin is located in the Central Mallah Mountains, a volcanic region that is over 3,000 meters (9,840 feet) tall at the summit. According to UNICEF, the mountain chain, a global heritage site, is known for its lower temperatures and higher rainfall than surrounding areas. It is located over 900 km (560 miles) west of the capital Khartoum.
Sunday’s landslide was one of the most deadly natural disasters in Sudan’s recent history. Hundreds of people die each year due to seasonal rains that take place between July and October. According to the United Nations, last year’s heavy rains caused the collapse of dams in the eastern Red Sea region, killing at least 30 people.
