Juba: A devastating landslide that struck Sudan’s Central Darfur region has prompted outpourings of sympathy and calls for urgent international assistance from religious leaders, including a South Sudanese Catholic bishop and Pope Leo XIV.
The landslide occurred on August 31 in the remote village of Tarasin, located in the Marrah Mountains. Triggered by heavy rainfall, the disaster buried the entire settlement. Local reports from the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM/A), which controls the area, suggest the death toll could be as high as 1,000, with only one survivor found. The United Nations confirmed at least 370 deaths, though authorities say the true number may be much higher. By September 4, officials had recovered and buried 375 bodies, while many others remain trapped beneath the debris.
Bishop Eduardo Hiiboro Kussala of the Catholic Diocese of Tombura-Yambio in South Sudan sent a condolence message to Bishop Yunan Tombe Trille Kuku Andali of Sudan’s El Obeid Diocese. In his letter, dated September 3, Bishop Hiiboro described the disaster as a tragedy not only of nature but also of human neglect, pointing to environmental degradation, ongoing war, and global indifference. He urged solidarity with the victims and called on the international community to respond with humanitarian aid, climate action, and peacebuilding efforts.
Pope Leo XIV also conveyed his spiritual closeness to the victims and their families through a telegram signed by Vatican Secretary of State Cardinal Pietro Parolin. The Pope expressed deep sorrow and assured prayers for the dead, the survivors, and the rescue workers engaged in difficult recovery operations.
Rescue efforts have been severely hampered by flooding, impassable terrain, and the ongoing civil war between Sudan’s army and the Rapid Support Forces (RSF). Local leader Mujib Al-Rahman Al-Zubair led prayers over the victims and called for greater support as his team worked with limited resources to retrieve bodies.
The SLMA has appealed for urgent assistance from the United Nations and humanitarian organizations, warning that the devastation far exceeds local capacity to respond. The tragedy has highlighted how conflict, environmental vulnerability, and climate-driven disasters are converging to deepen Sudan’s humanitarian crisis.
Authorities and faith leaders have urged the global community not only to assist with immediate relief but also to address the root causes that make such disasters catastrophic for already fragile populations.