SUDAN: Aid Workers on Donkeys Deliver First Emergency Supplies to Village Cut Off by Landslide

Save the Children aid workers traveling on a herd of donkeys have delivered the first emergency medical supplies, food, water and tarpaulins to a remote village in western Sudan that was cut off by a massive landslide this week that killed between 300 and 1,000 people.^[1]

In coordination with the Humanitarian Affairs Office in Darfur and UN OCHA, Save the Children sent an emergency team of 11 staff on donkeys to the mountain village of Tarsin from Golo, a journey that took over six hours due to a lack of roads and the rocky, muddy terrain. 

The team includes medical staff, child protection experts and a mental health team, and is delivering medical supplies, chlorine tablets, gloves and personal protective equipment (PPE) to support up to 1,000 people impacted by the disaster.  

Once there, the group will assess the scale of the emergency after torrential rain caused a massive landslide on Sunday and the requirements for additional supplies and emergency materials. Save the Children and its partners will launch a fuller emergency response once the needs are established.

A further response team is also on its way to Tarsin in the Marrah Mountains in the western region of Darfur, coordinated by UNOCHA, and due to arrive on Friday in the village that has been leveled by the landslide.

Francesco Lanino, Deputy Country Director of Programs and Operations for Save the Children in Sudan, who is coordinating the operation, said:  

“Tarsin is one of the most isolated villages in one of the most remote parts of Sudan. Heavy rains and flash floods have made the response extremely challenging, and it took our team more than a full day on a rocky, muddy, and hilly route to reach this devastated community. I am deeply proud of the perseverance and determination shown by our colleagues in delivering lifesaving assistance under such difficult conditions.

“Families in Tarsin have lost everything. Some are still desperately searching for survivors. We are committed to standing by them and to the whole Sudan in this moment of immense tragedy, providing urgent assistance now and supporting them to rebuild their lives as quickly as possible"

Sudan remains in one of the world’s gravest humanitarian emergencies, with more than 30 million people in need of assistance – more than half the population – and parts of the country pushed into famine conditions due to ongoing conflict and repeated climate shocks. 

Heavy rains and floods have affected at least 21 areas across Sudan in recent weeks, with fears of disease outbreaks, and experts predicting an unusually wet season continuing into September.  

The destruction and damage of homes has resulted in an urgent need for shelter and hygiene supplies, including toilets. The flooding is also expected to result in a spike in cholera cases as safe drinking water sources become contaminated with flood waters.  

Save the Children has worked in Sudan since 1983 and is currently supporting children and their families across Sudan providing health, nutrition, education, child protection and food security and livelihoods support.

###

Notes: 
[1] As of 2 September, according to UN OCHA the death toll remains unclear, with local reports indicating from 300 to 1,000 fatalities. https://reliefweb.int/report/sudan/sudan-landslide-and-floods-update-un-ocha-iom-noaa-cpc-echo-daily-flash-4-september-2025
 

Save the Children believes every child deserves a future. Since our founding more than 100 years ago, we’ve been advocating for the rights of children worldwide. In the United States and around the world, we give children a healthy start in life, the opportunity to learn and protection from harm. We do whatever it takes for children – every day and in times of crisis – transforming the future we share. Our results, financial statements and charity ratings reaffirm that Save the Children is a charity you can trust.