A large landslide destroyed the western Sudanese village of Tarsin in the Jebel Marra mountains on 31 August after days of heavy rain. Sudanese authorities said they recovered at least 375 bodies from the rubble, and many of the victims were children. UN agencies say the number of deaths is unverified. Search work is hard because the land is steep and the rain continues.
The landslide happened in Darfur, where fighting has forced many people to move into deep valleys and to live on mountain slopes in temporary settlements. Experts say clearing vegetation, building roads without proper engineering and illegal mining made the slopes weaker. A UN team including WHO arrived on 5 September to assess the situation, but access is difficult during the rainy season.
Difficult words
- landslide — A large amount of earth or rocks falling.landslides
- scientist — A person who studies the natural world.Scientists
- village — A small community or group of houses.
- conflict — A serious disagreement or fight.conflicts
- disaster — A terrible event causing damage and suffering.disasters
- monitor — To watch or check something carefully.monitoring
- soil — The top layer of earth where plants grow.
- protect — To keep safe from harm.
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Discussion questions
- How do you think planting trees can help prevent landslides?
- Why might climate change lead to more disasters?
- What can communities do to prepare for natural disasters?
