Tarasin landslide in Sudan's Marrah Mountains kills about 1,000

A massive landslide struck the village of Tarasin in Sudan's central Marrah Mountains on Sunday, flattening the settlement and killing an estimated 1,000 people, the rebel group that controls the area said late Monday. The Sudan Liberation Movement Army said days of heavy late August rainfall triggered the slide, leaving only one survivor and burying residents under dirt and debris.

The SLM-A said in a statement that the village was completely levelled and appealed to the United Nations and international aid organizations for help in recovering the bodies, some of which are reported to be children. Footage shared by a local Marrah Mountains outlet showed a swath of flattened terrain between mountain ranges and people searching the wreckage. Minni Minnawi, the Darfur governor aligned with forces opposed to the paramilitary Rapid Support Forces, called the event a humanitarian tragedy.

Independent verification of the casualty figures and conditions on the ground is not yet possible because much of Darfur, including the Marrah Mountains, has become difficult for U.N. agencies and humanitarian organizations to access amid ongoing fighting. The SLM-A controls parts of the Marrah...