The sun fired off a powerful flare at 09:07 Beijing Time on Friday, which was captured in great clarity by China's Fengyun-4C geostationary meteorological satellite, according to the China Meteorological Administration.
The flare was observed from the active region 14419 near the sun's northwest limb and peaked at X2.4. Flares are classified from C, the weakest, to M, of moderate strength, and X, the strongest.
The blast caused temporary disruptions to shortwave radio communications and satellite navigation signals.
It was accompanied by a coronal mass ejection, but scientists said that its trajectory is offset from Earth and is unlikely to trigger major geomagnetic disturbances.
Launched on December 27 last year from the Xichang Satellite Launch Center in the southwestern province of Sichuan, Fengyun-4C is currently the world's most capable geostationary meteorological satellite when it comes to comprehensive single-satellite detection capabilities.
It can significantly enhance the monitoring of meso- and small-scale weather systems and early warning capabilities regarding such systems, as well as the monitoring of space weather sources, thus strengthening its role as the first line of defense in meteorological disaster prevention and mitigation.
China's Fengyun-4C satellite captures powerful solar flare
The Sudan conflict now in its fourth year has pushed millions into poverty, even forcing some families to rely on animal fodder to survive.
Fighting between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces (RSF) erupted in April 2023, following months of escalating tensions between Abdel Fattah al-Burhan, the army chief and head of Sudan's ruling council, and Mohamed Hamdan Dagalo, the RSF commander and al-Burhan's former deputy.
Nearly 6.9 million Sudanese were pushed into extreme poverty in 2023 alone, according to the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP). Currently, around 70 percent of the population are estimated to live in poverty in the country, compared with 38 percent before the war, said UNDP Resident Representative in Sudan Luca Renda.
At the Tawila Camp in North Darfur State, Salha Musa, a displaced widow from El Fasher, is struggling to provide her six children with minimal resources.
Water is available from wells, but other essential services are absent. Inflation and scarcity have forced families to rely on unconventional foods. Everyday staples have disappeared from local markets, leaving vulnerable families at risk of malnutrition.
"Since we arrived in Tawila a month ago, we've been suffering from a severe lack of services, except for water, which we draw from wells. We have no other services here, and we desperately need assistance. Our children aren't receiving an education, and I'm a nurse, but I can't find work," said Salha.
The UNDP warns that Sudan's economy has collapsed under the weight of the ongoing conflict, with GDP falling sharply and more than 13 million people displaced. Extreme poverty rates now surpass those of the 1980s.
"Life is incredibly difficult for us poor people. If we don't have money, what are we supposed to do? Will we starve to death? After the price of corn flour became so high, we stopped buying it. I don't know why they're raising prices or hoarding goods. Flour has completely disappeared from the markets here. After that, flour became expensive and unavailable," said Summia Ahmed, another displaced woman from El Fasher, adding that her family has even started relying on "Ombaz", a kind of animal fodder, as their food.
UNDP projections show that peace could lift millions out of extreme poverty, but delays and continued conflict risk locking the country into decades of low growth and deprivation.
For families like Salha's and Summia's, the road ahead remains uncertain, as conflict continues to dictate daily survival in Sudan.
Sudan conflict pushes millions into poverty
