Sudan Prepares for Expected Peak of Nile Flood Next Sept.

The Sudanese authorities announced today, Friday, that strict measurements were taken to cope with an expected peak flood of the Nile during next September.

The authorities revealed that all dams are operating in full swing now to repel floods and calling on citizens on the banks to take precautions.

The Sudanese Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources pointed out that "the peak of the Nile flood was always coming in the middle of August of each year, but in recent years the highest levels were recorded in September, as happened in the floods of last year."

A government official confirmed that the authorities' precaution against floods will continue until next month in order to avoid any sudden floods, as the Ethiopian plateau is still recording high levels of precipitation.

He pointed out that depending on the levels of the Nile flood and the rainfall rates, the Sudanese authorities may postpone the  school's academic year on the sixth of next September in the state of Khartoum, the capital city of Sudan.

The daily statement of the Flood Committee of the Ministry of Irrigation and Water Resources stated that "Khartoum and Shendi in River Nile State are still recording critical levels."

According to the statement, "Khartoum station recorded 17.15 meters on Friday, which is less than 17.66 meters, the highest recorded level of 51 centimeters, and Shendi station recorded 17.95 meters, which is less than 18.44 meters, the highest recorded level of 49 cm.

The Flood Committee’s statement confirmed that “storage continues in the Upper Atbara and Setit dam complex while maintaining drainage behind the Roseires dam in the range of 550 million cubic meters per day until further notice.”

Last June, a senior official at the Ministry of Finance in Sudan said that the Executive Board of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has approved the joining of Sudan to Heavily Indebted Poor Countries Initiative (HIPC).

This decision came as the board ruled that Sudan took the measurements that went with the initiative.

After the IMF decision, it will ease Sudan's debts that are estimated at more than $ 50 billion which pose a major obstacle to alleviate the strangling economic crisis.

The launching of the Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) Initiative in the fall of 1996 represented a major departure from past practice in dealing with debt problems of developing countries; it focused on achieving overall external debt sustainability with comprehensive participation by all external creditors for the most heavily indebted countries with good track records.