Khartoum:  Rescue teams in Sudan’s war-ravaged Darfur region have recovered about 100 bodies from the rubble of a village buried by a massive landslide, as international appeals grow to assist survivors and families affected by the disaster.

The landslide struck the remote village of Tarasin in the Marrah Mountains of Central Darfur on August 31, following days of torrential rain. Entire sections of the mountainside collapsed, burying the village almost completely. Only one person was reported to have survived, though in critical condition.

Local officials and aid groups warn the death toll could be far higher, with estimates ranging from 300 to as many as 1,000 people. Rebel-affiliated leaders have reported more than 270 bodies recovered, but independent verification remains difficult due to the remoteness of the area and continuing armed conflict across the region.

The United Nations has called for urgent access to deliver aid and assist recovery efforts. Rescue operations have been hampered by heavy rains, treacherous terrain, and ongoing clashes between Sudan’s army and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, which have devastated Darfur and other regions since civil war erupted in April 2023.

International humanitarian organizations describe the disaster zone as nearly inaccessible. Médecins Sans Frontières said reaching the site requires navigating mountains cut off by both weather and conflict, describing the area as a “black hole” for aid delivery.

Pope Francis has also voiced solidarity with the Sudanese people, urging the global community to respond swiftly to the tragedy. Speaking from the Vatican, he appealed for concrete assistance for those affected, stressing that the people of Sudan are enduring unimaginable suffering from both natural disaster and war.

The catastrophe comes on top of what aid agencies describe as one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises. Sudan is already grappling with famine conditions, a collapse of basic services, and deadly outbreaks of cholera and malaria. More than 14 million people have been displaced since the start of the civil war, leaving relief efforts stretched beyond capacity.

Authorities and local groups continue to dig through mud and debris in Tarasin, hoping to recover the bodies of hundreds more believed to be trapped beneath the landslide. Both Sudan’s officials and rebel groups have appealed to the international community for urgent support to manage the scale of the disaster.