Sudan Landslide Wipes Out Entire Village, Leaves Over 1,000 Dead In Darfur

A catastrophic landslide has obliterated an entire village in Sudan’s western Darfur region, killing an estimated 1,000 people in what is feared to be one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

The tragedy struck on Sunday in the village of Tarasin, nestled in the Marrah Mountains of Central Darfur, following days of relentless rainfall in late August, according to a statement from the Sudan Liberation Movement-Army (SLM-A), which controls the area.

“Initial reports indicate the death of nearly all the village’s residents—over 1,000 people. Only one person survived,” the group revealed.

The SLM-A described the village as being “completely leveled to the ground” and issued an urgent plea to the United Nations and humanitarian agencies for assistance in recovering bodies. Footage shared by the Marrah Mountains news outlet showed a flattened expanse of land between the mountain ranges, with desperate survivors combing through the debris.

Disaster Amid War and Famine

This tragedy compounds Sudan’s ongoing humanitarian nightmare. The country has been gripped by a brutal civil war since April 2023, when fighting erupted between Sudan’s military and the powerful paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF).

Darfur, including the Marrah Mountains, remains largely inaccessible to aid agencies due to heavy fighting and severe restrictions. The SLM-A, based in the region, has stayed neutral in the conflict but continues to oversee its territories.

The Marrah Mountains—an imposing volcanic range stretching 160 kilometers (100 miles) southwest of El-Fasher—have become a refuge for families fleeing the war. Yet the area, known for its higher rainfall, now faces devastating natural disasters on top of human-made suffering.

Sudan’s war has already claimed more than 40,000 lives, displaced over 14 million people, and left families in famine-like conditions, with some forced to survive on grass, according to the UN. The conflict has been marred by ethnic massacres, rape, and other atrocities, prompting the International Criminal Court (ICC) to investigate war crimes and crimes against humanity.

One of Sudan’s Deadliest Disasters

Tarasin, perched high in the Marrah Mountains at altitudes above 3,000 meters (9,840 feet), lies over 900 kilometers (560 miles) west of Khartoum. Its unique geography—cooler temperatures and heavier rainfall—makes it prone to seasonal disasters.

Between July and October, heavy rains regularly claim lives across Sudan. Last year, severe floods caused a dam to collapse in the Red Sea Province, killing at least 30 people, according to UN reports.

However, Sunday’s landslide stands out as one of the worst natural catastrophes Sudan has seen in decades, not only for its scale but also for striking a nation already brought to its knees by war, famine, and international isolation.