Widespread flooding across Sudan caused by torrential rainfall
Key Messages
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Through the end of the lean season in September, IDPs and poor households in SPLM-N controlled areas continue to face Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes. At the same time, poor households in areas of North Darfur and Kassala States affected by severe dryness in 2017, poor households in northern parts of Red Sea and North Kordofan States, and refugees from South Sudan, continue to be in Crisis (IPC Phase 3). Food security outcomes will begin to improve with the harvest in October, and most parts of Sudan will be in Minimal (IPC Phase 1) or Stressed (IPC Phase 2).
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Flooding induced by torrential rain across Sudan has displaced more than 50,000 people since mid-July. Reports indicate at least 23 fatalities with many more injuries. Damage to crops and livestock deaths from flooding occurred in localized areas of West Kordofan, Kassala, and Darfur States. In areas with reported crop damage, households are replanting fields as seasonal rains continue. Areas with no flooding continue to have above-average rainfall with favorable crop development and pasture generation.
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Continued high inflation, local currency devaluation, and difficulties accessing foreign exchange constrains fuel purchases and the ongoing 2018/19 agricultural season. Some farmers resorted to buying fuel on the parallel market for planting where prices are three to five times higher than the government’s subsidized prices. Farmers also reported having difficulty paying for labor and accessing other agricultural inputs. This will have negative impacts on food prices and labor income through the harvest period, when prices being to seasonally decrease, as will labor income.
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The relatively improved security conditions in most parts of Darfur, reduced food aid rations, and sharp increase of cereal prices encourage IDPs to return to their home villages or lease land from their host community for cultivation. The Voluntary Return Commission (VRC) in Central Darfur reported about 26,000 IDP families voluntarily returned to their home villages this year. According to the VRC, IDP returns decreased IDP camps populations in Central Darfur from 34,600 families to 19,800 families.