A new engineering study warns that Sudan’s historic city of Atbara faces a growing geological threat as severe water seepage destabilises the ground beneath it.
The northern city is increasingly vulnerable as rising groundwater threatens to undermine building foundations and other key infrastructure.
Engineer Ahmed Khalifa Ajimi said nearby dams had altered local waterways, continuously replenishing an underground water reservoir beneath the city.
Unlined irrigation canals built under a northern food security project have worsened the problem by allowing large amounts of water to seep into the ground.
Traditional absorption wells also release untreated sewage directly into the already high water table, further aggravating the crisis.
The combination of water and chemical contamination is weakening the soil, causing heavy foundations to sink and concrete structures to crack.
Corrosive moisture and salts are also rising through the city’s walls, accelerating rust in the steel reinforcement inside buildings.
Ajimi called for the urgent lining of irrigation canals and the installation of modern underground drainage systems to prevent further structural damage.
