Tokar Isolated After Baraka River Floods Destroy Road to Port Sudan
The city of Tokar in eastern Sudan’s Red Sea state has been cut off after floods from the Baraka River washed away the only road linking it to Port Sudan and Suakin, residents said on Friday.
Community groups warned that Tokar faces a potential humanitarian emergency if river levels continue to rise. Ohaj Tilab, a local activist, said that while volunteers managed to redirect water flow away from homes, “any new high-level floods could be catastrophic, as happened last year.”
Tilab noted that residents had previously submitted an emergency preparedness plan to authorities but said the government had not yet stationed a Civil Defence team in the city. He urged urgent intervention to prevent Tokar from being submerged.
The seasonal Baraka River, which originates in Eritrea, is notorious for destructive flooding. This year’s rising waters have already damaged a bridge, threatening to send floodwaters deeper into Tokar.
Last year, the river’s overflow devastated the city, destroying homes and infrastructure—a scenario locals fear may soon be repeated if emergency measures are not taken.
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