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Rising Floodwaters Threaten Sudan's Ancient Structures

Michael Attit

   KHARTOUM - Officials in Sudan warn that rising floodwaters could damage
   ancient structures including Sudan's Royal City of Meroe if
   record-setting rains continue.

   Two weeks of heavy rain have caused record flooding of the Nile River,
   which has displaced tens of thousands of people and threatened
   archaeological sites.

   Floodwaters have already damaged the royal bathroom of the Meroe
   Kingdom, an ancient city on the east bank of the River Nile, about 200
   kilometers northeast of Khartoum.

   Antiquities experts with the colleges of Khartoum, Nilain and Shendi
   universities are working to block the floodwaters from entering the
   ancient sites, said Umaima Hasabarrasul, who works with the Sudan
   National Museums in Khartoum.

   "These sites are under threat of being covered by floodwater. The water
   level has reached up to 30 cm on part of the wall. We had to call for
   communal interventions. Through the administrations of various colleges
   and other partners, we were able to put up more blocks to prevent
   water. Now we can only say the level of threat has reduced a little
   bit," Hasabarrasul told VOA's South Sudan in Focus.

   The Meroe Royal City was the capital of the Kush Kingdom established in
   590 BC, which represents a series of early states located within the
   middle Nile, now part of Sudan. It is one of the earliest and most
   impressive states found south of the Sahara.

   The area was registered with UNESCO as a World Heritage Site in early
   2000.

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