Tawila. October 06 (Darfur24)
Thousands of displaced people in Tawila, North Darfur State, are facing a severe shortage of drinking water amid a continued influx of newly displaced families from Dar Sumayat, east of El Fasher, and other areas.
Hundreds of families have been queuing for water at distribution points across Tawila, including the gathering site for newly displaced people in Tawila al-Umda, displacement sites in the villages of Shakshko and Sallabala, and the new Dabba Nayra camp south of Tawila.
Displaced people and humanitarian volunteers told Darfur24 that available water supplies are insufficient to meet the needs of the growing population, forcing families to wait for hours to collect drinking water.
Suad Abdullah, a displaced resident of Tawila al-Umda, said the water shortage had forced families to spend long hours waiting at distribution points, while the quantities available remain inadequate.
Maryam Yahya, a displaced woman in Shakshko, said her child had spent four consecutive days waiting in line for water without receiving a single jerrycan.
She said the family had been forced to rely on neighbours for water for cooking and that her children had not bathed for more than seven days.
Yahya said the shortage was particularly concerning amid the spread of diseases and limited access to healthcare in the displacement sites.
A water tanker operator told Darfur24 that the shortage was partly caused by a lack of fuel and the expiration of contracts for some water tankers serving displaced communities.
Water officials also warned that Tawila could face a prolonged water crisis in the coming months due to reduced rainfall and limited water flow in most valleys this year, which they said could lower groundwater levels.
They called on the civilian authority of the Sudan Liberation Movement to urge owners of water wells to reduce the amount of water allocated for agricultural activities and prioritise drinking water, particularly as the population continues to grow due to new displacement.