Desperate Rescue Efforts Underway As Sudan Landslide Claims Lives

Wed Oct 22 2025 00:01:42 GMT+0300 (Eastern European Summer Time)

In a tragic incident in western Sudan, villagers dig with their hands to recover victims buried by a landslide, amidst conflicting reports on the death toll.

Residents of the Tarseen area in Sudan are engaged in desperate efforts to recover their loved ones following a catastrophic landslide triggered by heavy rain. Aid organization Save the Children reports varying death toll estimates, ranging from hundreds to possibly over a thousand, while operational challenges and ongoing conflict in the region complicate rescue efforts.

Villagers in the remote western Darfur region of Sudan are undertaking perilous rescue operations by hand, trying to reach victims buried by a devastating landslide that struck on Sunday, according to the aid group Save the Children.

Francesco Lanino, Save the Children's deputy director for programs and operations in Sudan, stated, People are excavating by hand to rescue the bodies of their relatives since there are no tools or machinery available. The exact number of casualties remains uncertain, with reports fluctuating from as many as 1,000 according to armed groups in the region to only two confirmed by the national health ministry. Save the Children also noted that at least 373 bodies have been recovered per information from local officials.

Lanino reported that these numbers include an estimated 200 children, indicating a possible tragedy of immense proportions. The landslide is believed to be one of the most significant disasters the region has faced, characterized by reports of destruction and despair.

In the hardest-hit village of Tarseen, there is reportedly only one known survivor. The remote location has hindered independent verification of the disaster's impact, but satellite imagery analysis indicated the loss of several key structures.

Reaching the affected area proved challenging for aid workers, who spent over six hours traveling 14 miles through arduous terrain, often relying on donkey transport. Humanitarian supplies are crucial as the region grapples with the compounded challenges of a civil war, further complicating rescue and relief operations.

Ongoing fighting between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army has resulted in a humanitarian crisis, with estimates suggesting tens of thousands of deaths and millions displaced since hostilities began in 2023.