DOHA: The Sudanese community in Qatar is anxious and worried as their homeland is devastated by the worst floods in a century, and the community is coming together to help the victims of the natural disaster.
More than 100 people have died in the floods caused by torrential rains that lasted for days. More than half a million have been affected and over 100,000 houses have collapsed as 16 states have been hit. The rains received this year broke the records set in 1946 and 1988.
Almost every Sudanese in Qatar is affected as they come from an area which has been affected by the floods. Many of them have lost their homes, and their families, including the elderly, are in deep distress. Some of them are injured and need medical care, community sources told The Doha Globe.
At the same time, the Sudanese in Qatar are unable to go home and help the victims due to the travel restrictions in the wake of Covid-19. Sudan has been included in the list of countries whose citizens must go for hotel quarantine in Doha.
“The entire community is in deep shock and feeling helpless due to the current situation. Our hearts are with those who have lost their lives in the floods and lost everything,” said Faisal Khalid, Sudanese Society Coordinator.
Community members said that it is a scary and heart-wrenching scenario. Crocodiles that have drifted from the Blue Nile are floating in the floodwaters in Khartoum and in several villages, posing a threat to the lives of people.
“Reptiles are moving freely. My grandfather died of snakebite. Some of my relatives are in hospital. I have several friends who have been affected, whose families have lost everything,” said Asim Alnoor, who works as a school bus driver at Karwa.
Faisal Khalid said the entire community has banded together and formed an emergency committee under the supervision of the Sudanese Embassy to coordinate relief efforts and raise funds for the victims. There are individual and collective efforts to help the victims.
The Blue Nile, which is bigger and deeper, is wreaking havoc. It rose to 17.58 metres (57 feet), ‘a historic level’ since the start of the monitoring of the river in 1902. Khartoum, the capital, is one of the worst affected areas.
Qatar Charity (QC), too, has initiated relief efforts. Its field teams distributed food parcels, personal hygiene kits, mattresses and blankets to the affected people in Ad Damar and Berber of River Nile State, as well as in Jabal Awliya and Bahri in Khartoum State.
The humanitarian intervention comes as part of a relief campaign entitled ‘Peace for Sudan’, which will provide QR7.3mn worth of urgent shelter and food aid to the affected people. The campaign is expected to benefit 75,000 people.