Addis Abeba — Sudan is facing some of the worst Nile flooding in years, with experts warning that a combination of intensified rainfall, weak flood defenses, and the growing impact of climate change has created a dangerous new reality for communities along the river.
Experts told Xinhua that the flooding cannot be attributed to a single cause. Environmental expert Abdul Azim Haraka said Sudan's worsening flood patterns were linked to "intensified rainfall and the growing impact of climate change in recent years."
"Urgent plans are needed to rebuild embankments with modern engineering and early warning systems," water resources specialist Sami Abdel Rahim told Xinhua, noting that areas such as Wad Ramli--long known as natural flood pathways of the Nile--will remain exposed without permanent barriers.
According to the Ministry of Agriculture and Irrigation, homes, neighborhoods, and farmland across six states--including Blue Nile, Sinnar, Gezira, Khartoum, White Nile, and Northern State--have been inundated this year. The ministry cited multiple contributing factors: water releases from the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD), a delayed rainy season that extended into October, and long-term climate shifts.
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On 10 September, Ethiopia began releasing water from the GERD reservoir after it reached full capacity due to heavy rainfall in the Ethiopian Highlands. Officials said the release peaked at about 750 million cubic meters per day.
Flooding has been a recurring crisis in Sudan between June and October, but its toll has worsened in recent years. Heavy rainfall has claimed hundreds of lives, displaced thousands, and destroyed farmland that sustains millions, amplifying the humanitarian challenges facing a country already destabilized by civil conflict.
Experts warn that as climate change intensifies rainfall patterns across the region, and as Sudan's infrastructure remains weakened by war, the country is likely to face more frequent and destructive flood events unless urgent mitigation measures are taken.
Amid the devastation, Sudanese Prime Minister Kamil Idris announced his government's intention to conduct a "detailed review" of the GERD with Ethiopia and Egypt "to avoid future disasters." Speaking at a press conference in Port Sudan on Wednesday, 1 October 2025, after returning from the United Nations General Assembly, Idris said the review would be part of renewed engagement with the two countries.
The GERD has long been a source of contention among Nile Basin states. Ethiopia considers the project a sovereign right and central to its development and energy goals, while Sudan and Egypt argue that its filling and operation should be regulated by a legally binding agreement to safeguard their water security, particularly during drought years.
On Wednesday in Port Sudan, Egyptian Foreign Minister Badr Abdelatty and his Sudanese counterpart, Mohieldin Salem, reaffirmed their "unified position" on water security as downstream countries. According to Egypt Today magazine, the two ministers underscored the need for full adherence to international law governing the use of the Eastern Nile Basin and reiterated their categorical rejection of "any unilateral measures" in this regard.
Their talks also addressed the Sudanese conflict, with Abdelatty reaffirming Egypt's "effective engagement" in efforts to secure a ceasefire and a humanitarian truce in Sudan.
According to an Associated Press report, Ethiopia said on Monday that the recently inaugurated Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) had helped mitigate the impact of floods in Sudan, even as speculation mounted over whether the dam had instead contributed to the deluge.
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Sudan issued a flood alert on Saturday after rising water levels were recorded along the Blue Nile and White Nile, and authorities maintained the alert through Monday. The Sudanese Ministry of Irrigation said water levels had remained high for four consecutive days as nearby dams discharged excess water. It warned that agricultural land and residential areas in Khartoum, River Nile, White Nile, Sennar, and Blue Nile states could be affected.
Ethiopia's Minister of Water and Energy, Habtamu Itefa Geleta, said the GERD had played a "significant role" in reducing the severity of the floods. "The flood in Sudan could be from White Nile. If GERD was not there, the magnitude could have been devastating," he said. When asked why the turbines were not operating, Habtamu did not answer directly but added: "We did not release the excess water."
