Survivors of Sudan dam collapse appeal gov't assistance in rescue, relief efforts

⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠Survivors of a flood following a dam breach in eastern Sudan are appealing for assistance from local government to rescue the hundreds of people who remain missing and to secure alternative water sources for those affected.   Emergency responders are scrambling to determine the number of people still missing after the collapse of the Arbaat Dam in Red Sea State on Sunday. The floodwaters bursting through the dam submerged 20 surrounding villages, destroyed farms, and killed livestock.   Ongoing search and relief operations are also facing obstacles due to the destruction of roads.   "We lost everything, and we could barely rescue our families. The water washed away our farms, vehicles, livestock and crops. It's the worst water flow I've seen in my life. We need the government to rescue people who are still stuck behind the mountain, we need them to dig wells so we can have clean water at least," said Malehashim Mohamed, a farmer.   Located about 20 kilometers north of Port Sudan, the dam is built on a reservoir with a capacity of 25 million cubic meters and served as a major water source for the city. The reservoir was built to collect and store rainwater during the rainy season, guaranteeing year-round water access. 

The dam collapse now threatens to trigger acute water shortages throughout the region.   "I never saw such an amount of water in my life, we were lucky that we were awake, and we could escape with our children. We need the government to fix the roads and rescue other villagers, we want them to increase efforts and find alternative water sources for us and for millions of people," said Malealsir Othman, a resident.   The United Nations reported that heavy rains and flooding have affected around 317,000 people across the war-torn country since June. The Sudanese Meteorological Authority expects the rains and flooding to continue until mid-September.   Flooding is a recurring problem in Sudan, typically occurring between June and October. Recent severe rains have resulted in significant loss of life and damage to farmland.

Survivors of Sudan dam collapse appeal gov't assistance in rescue, relief efforts

China's top political advisor Wang Huning on Friday urged political advisors to intensify research and consultation to offer valuable suggestions for advancing the cause of people with disabilities.

Wang, a member of the Standing Committee of the Political Bureau of the Communist Party of China (CPC) Central Committee and chairman of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference (CPPCC), made these remarks while presiding over a biweekly consultation session of the national committee.

Wang underlined that ensuring a happy and fulfilling life for people with disabilities is an essential requirement for promoting Chinese modernization.

He called upon political advisors to focus on the new situations and challenges in advancing the cause for such individuals while urging more targeted and practical proposals based on thorough investigations and research.

Democratic oversight should be strengthened to ensure the effective implementation of policies supporting those with disabilities, Wang noted.

Several national political advisors also made their remarks during the session. They called for efforts to create unobstructed career development pathways for people with disabilities, advance research and application of assistive technologies, and enhance the quality of public services to continuously improve their quality of life.

China's top political advisor stresses boosting services for people with disabilities