Hit by extremely hot weather, the people displaced by the armed conflict in Sudan are struggling to handle a rash of woes including heatstroke, power outage and water shortage.
The armed conflict in Sudan has been going on for over a year, causing more than 10 million people to be displaced. More than 100,000 residents fleeing the conflict zone have fled to the coastal city of Port Sudan, located in the Red Sea State in east Sudan.
This summer, the daily temperatures often exceeded 40 degrees Celsius, even reaching over 45 degrees Celsius. The persistent broiling and humid weather has further worsened the living conditions of the asylum seekers.
According to statistics from the Sudanese Ministry of Health, since July this year, the Red Sea State has reported 84 cases of severe heatstroke, eight of which have died.
"Port Sudan is known for its high temperatures in summer. People need to take measures against the heat. The government should strengthen publicity and prevention," said Monzer Mohamed, a displaced person.
"When we lived in Khartoum, the temperature usually did not rise until 10:00 or 11:00 in the morning, but in Port Sudan, the temperature was very high at 07:00 in the morning. Displaced people like us can't handle this." said Ahmed Ali, another displaced person.
Port Sudan is also facing electricity scarcity. The conflict in Sudan has severely damaged the infrastructure, and the influx of asylum seekers has further pushed up energy demand. Currently, Port Sudan often experiences power outages lasting 10 to 14 hours on a daily basis.
The problem of power outage is even more severe in the refugee shelters, with some of them only having power for a few hours per day.
"The power supply is very unstable, and there are often power cuts of more than ten hours. We can only take shade under the trees on the street or find a cool place by the seaside," said Othman Al-Toum, a refugee.
"The impact of the power outage is too severe. Sometimes, after the power just comes back on for one or two hours, it goes out again for several more hours. I cannot work normally, and neither can others," said Ali Moatasem, another refugee.
Many of the refugee shelters are also facing a shortage of clean drinking water and water for daily use.
The armed conflict in the country broke out between the Sudanese Armed Forces (SAF) and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) in Khartoum on April 15, 2023, subsequently engulfing other regions of the country, and continues to this day, leaving the country facing one of the world's most severe refugee crises.
Heat wave exacerbates suffering of displaced people in Sudan
Heat wave exacerbates suffering of displaced people in Sudan
Heat wave exacerbates suffering of displaced people in Sudan
