Rescuers have recovered 370 bodies from a landslide that hit a mountain village in Sudan's Darfur region, a local civilian leader said on Thursday.
The disaster struck the village of Tarasin, located high in the Jebel Marra range, on Sunday following one of the worst downpours of Sudan's rainy season, which peaks in August.
Up to 1,000 people may have been killed, according to the United Nations, but the full scale of the disaster is unknown.
"We recovered 370 bodies and buried them. Others are still trapped under the rocks and some were carried away by floodwaters," said Ibrahim Suleiman, one of the heads of the civilian administration in Daramo locality.
Body recovery exercise ongoing
Footage shows residents and rescuers gathered at a makeshift burial site, praying for the victims laid to rest.
Others were seen digging through thick mud and rubble using shovels and their bare hands to recover more bodies still trapped in the earth.
With aid agencies unable to access the area, the operation was being carried out entirely by local residents and the local Emergency Response Room, one of hundreds of volunteer groups coordinating aid across Sudan.
The tragedy comes amid the backdrop of Sudan's ongoing war, which began in April 2023 between the regular army and the RSF. The conflict has killed thousands and displaced millions.
