Entire Darfur Village Destroyed By Landslide, Over 1,000 Feared Dead

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A landslide has virtually erased the village of Tarasin in the Marrah Mountains of Darfur, leaving only one person alive amid an estimated 1,000 fatalities. The disaster struck on 31 August 2025, following sustained heavy rainfall, triggering a torrent of mud and debris that demolished homes and swept away entire families. The Sudan Liberation Movement/Army, which administers the area, issued an urgent plea for international help to recover bodies and assist survivors. United Nations agencies, along with humanitarian partners, are mobilising despite formidable access challenges.

The Marrah Mountains, a remote volcanic range rising above 3,000 metres and designated a World Heritage site, lie over 900 kilometres from Khartoum. Heavy August rains destabilised the slopes, causing the catastrophic landslide. Tarasin, once known for its citrus cultivation, vanished under tons of earth, with only one survivor-gravely injured-found amid the devastation. Recovery teams have retrieved around 100 bodies, though the full toll may never be confirmed.

SLM/A spokesman Abdel‐Wahid al‐Nur warned of mounting concern among neighbouring communities: fear is spreading that they too could face a similar catastrophe should the downpours persist. He underscored the urgent requirement for evacuation plans and emergency shelter in the area.

The United Nations' resident coordinator described the incident as profoundly troubling, noting that between 300 and 1,000 people may have perished. The continued disasters underscore the dire humanitarian conditions in Darfur amid a brutal civil war, which has left millions displaced and food insecurity rampant. Aid groups such as Doctors Without Borders describe swathes of Darfur, including the Marrah Mountains, as“black holes” due to their inaccessibility.

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Sudan's ruling Sovereign Council expressed grief over the landslide, stating that“all possible capabilities” had been mobilised to support the area. The group's response, however, is complicated by the ongoing conflict between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces, which has driven a humanitarian crisis marked by famine, disease outbreaks, and mass displacement. Darfur remains among the most severely affected regions.

Prior heavy rains in other parts of Sudan have already caused widespread damage. For instance, in South Darfur, seasonal downpours resulted in the destruction of numerous homes in Sofia village just days before the landslide.

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