{{When the skies again unleashed their fury over Khartoum before dawn on Sunday, there was little of Kamel Hussein’s home left to be destroyed.}}
The mud bricks and wood had already been reduced to rubble early last week when a flash flood swept through his neighbourhood of Salha, in Khartoum’s twin city of Omdurman.
As Sudan’s rainy season begins, there have already been three brief, violent storms in the capital region and beyond since 25 July.
Official media said more than 3 000 homes have been destroyed around the country.
Poor areas like Salha and even wealthier districts in central Khartoum have been left awash in pools of water while critics accuse the government of negligence.
Flood victims like Hussein say help has been slow to arrive.
“Officials didn’t come to share our crisis, only to get their pictures taken for TV, to show they are doing their job. Just propaganda”, Hussein said, sitting with his children on a bed among the rubble of his house.
Like other newly homeless, he tried to fashion a shelter from sacks and pieces of debris but it wasn’t enough to protect against Sunday’s rain whipped by ferocious winds.
“My eldest son and I spent last night here because we have to protect what is left. It was a terrible experience”, he said.
Although the family has yet to receive emergency shelter from the government or aid groups, they have been given three donations of cooking oil, rice and flour.
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