Sharp rise in water prices hits Port Sudan following attacks

A sharp rise in water prices has followed a series of aerial attacks on the Sudanese city of Port Sudan, leaving the city in crisis.

Once considered a refuge from Sudan’s brutal civil war, Port Sudan has suffered intense bombardment by the Rapid Support Forces (RSF), the BBC reported on May 10th.

Drone strikes hit three major fuel depots, with smoke still present in the air. Emergency crews remained at the scenes, but they continued to battle the fires without success. The RSF’s ongoing conflict with the army, now over two years old, has already displaced more than 12 million people, triggering one of the world’s worst humanitarian crises.

Mutasim, a 26-year-old displaced man, waited for hours to get water. “Soon, we won’t be able to afford it,” he said. Water had previously cost him 2,000 Sudanese pounds. However, now vendors charge five times that price. Diesel shortages, caused by the fuel depot attacks, have crippled water pumps across the city.

Markets have reopened, but life has not returned to normal. Cars clog petrol stations as drivers endure long waits for limited fuel. “It could take me five hours to get petrol,” Mutasim said. This level of shortage feels unfamiliar in Port Sudan.

Mutasim arrived from Omdurman two years ago. “We were forced to leave our home by the RSF,” he explained. His family spent their savings of $3,000 to start over. Now, they face yet another upheaval. “We were thinking about moving, but it’s so expensive—and where do we go?”

Power cuts have worsened conditions. “My auntie is over 70. She is struggling with the heat and humidity because there’s no electricity for fans . . .” said Mutasim. “We can’t sleep.”

Hawa Mustafa, who is a teacher, is also sheltering in Port Sudan with her children. The attacks have caused her to feel fear. “We returned to a state of war,” she said.

Port Sudan has served as a vital aid hub for Sudan. But that, too, is under threat. “[T]his is going to severely constrain the delivery of life-saving food and medical supplies,” warned Shashwat Saraf, country director of the Norwegian Refugee Council. Now, the once-vibrant city remains silent at night and residents stay indoors.

BBC