Sudan Landslide Destroys Darfur Village, Killing Over 1,000 Residents

The tragedy happened on Sunday in the village of Tarasin in Central Darfur's Marrah Mountains after days of heavy rainfall in late August

A devastating landslide has wiped out an entire village in Sudan’s Darfur region, killing an estimated 1,000 people in one of the country’s deadliest natural disasters in recent history.

The disaster struck on Sunday in the village of Tarasin, located in the Marrah Mountains of Central Darfur, following days of heavy rainfall in late August. According to the Sudan Liberation Movement-Army, “Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated to be more than one thousand people. Only one person survived.”

The landslide killed an estimated 1,000 people in the village in one of the deadliest natural disasters in Sudan's recent history

The group confirmed that Tarasin was “completely leveled to the ground” and appealed to the United Nations and international aid organizations for assistance in recovering bodies. Footage from the scene showed flattened terrain between mountain ranges with groups of survivors searching through the debris.

The tragedy comes as Sudan continues to suffer from a brutal civil war that erupted in April 2023 between the national military and the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces. The conflict has claimed more than 40,000 lives, displaced over 14 million people, and pushed communities to the brink of famine. Atrocities, including ethnically targeted killings and sexual violence, have been documented by the UN and human rights groups. The International Criminal Court is currently investigating potential war crimes and crimes against humanity.

Darfur, including the Marrah Mountains region, has been largely cut off from humanitarian access due to restrictions and ongoing clashes. The Sudan Liberation Movement-Army, which operates in the area, remains neutral in the conflict. The Marrah Mountains, a volcanic chain stretching over 100 miles southwest of El-Fasher, have become a refuge for displaced families fleeing violence in and around the embattled city.

Tarasin, Marrah Mountains Landslide on 31 Aug 2025 destroyed the village, killing 1,000 after heavy rains

Tarasin’s location in the high-altitude volcanic terrain of the Marrah Mountains, known for cooler temperatures and heavier rainfall than the surrounding arid landscape, makes it vulnerable to landslides. At more than 3,000 meters at its summit and over 560 miles west of Khartoum, the region is also a UNESCO World Heritage site.

Sudan experiences annual seasonal rains from July to October, during which hundreds of people lose their lives each year. However, Sunday’s landslide ranks among the deadliest natural disasters in the nation’s history, compounding the humanitarian catastrophe already unfolding from the civil war.