The appearance of these fish and crocodiles threatens human and animal life and coincides with the farming season linked to the Nile waters in northern Sudan. Also, the riverbanks in the capital Khartoum have become a destination for hundreds of people, who head to the "beach" of the Tuti area to escape high temperatures, as well as to practice water sports such as swimming and others in the Al-Mogran area and under the Manshiya Bridge.

The fears and suffering of Sudanese living on the banks of the Nile and its tributaries increase at this time every year due to floods and torrents, and the effects are not limited to material and human losses, as citizens are exposed to the dangers of crocodiles and deadly "barad" or "electric ray" fish.

The appearance of these fish and crocodiles, which threaten human and animal life, coincides with the farming season linked to the Nile waters in northern Sudan. Also, the riverbanks in the capital Khartoum have become a destination for hundreds of people, who head to the "beach" of the Tuti area to escape high temperatures, as well as to practice water sports such as swimming and others in the Al-Mogran area and under the Manshiya Bridge.

Dangers and Fears

According to eyewitnesses in several areas of the capital, "barad" or "electric ray" fish have appeared in recent days in East Nile and Burri in Khartoum, causing residents to live in a state of fear and apprehension due to their knowledge of the danger of these fish and their ability to deliver electric shocks in the water.

Amid this atmosphere, several warning messages were circulated to citizens to avoid swimming and sitting near the beaches these days, and social media also circulated messages from Sudanese citizens in East Nile, Kalakla, and Khartoum North warning that dangerous fish are spreading frighteningly in Burri Beach, Tuti, and open Nile water areas.

At this time, the Burri Emergency Room issued warnings calling on families to prevent children from swimming in open and unmonitored sites, including the Burri Beach area in Khartoum, stressing that sudden exposure to electric shocks in the water could lead to loss of balance or panic, and may turn within seconds into a drowning accident.

Deadly Fish

In this context, marine science researcher Waddah al-Zaki said, "The continuous rise in temperatures this year has contributed to pumping large amounts of water vapor into the atmosphere, providing the energy needed for the rapid development of storms in Sudan's rivers, which increases their intensity and danger, and leads to the emergence of the electric catfish locally known as 'barad'. It is one of the most famous fish capable of generating electricity in African freshwaters, because it possesses specialized electric organs that enable it to release powerful shocks used for hunting and self-defense."

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He added, "This fish usually lives in calm, murky waters near the bottom, and is found in parts of the Nile basin and several African rivers," calling on citizens living on the banks of the Nile and its tributaries to be cautious of "barad" or "electric ray" fish that have begun to appear in East Nile, Burri, and Jebel Awliya in Khartoum, as well as to monitor children's movements and stay away from open water areas, in addition to avoiding water sports these days.

Drowning Incidents

Official statistics in the Northern State revealed the registration of 41 drowning reports during the past period, and the incidents were distributed among the localities of Al-Dabbah, Dongola, Al-Bruqi, Delgo, Halfa, Al-Gould, and Merowe.

The Ministry of Education in the Northern State pointed to a worrying rise in drowning incidents among students and school children due to swimming in the Nile, while the Civil Defense Forces announced the identification of 84 dangerous sites along the Nile strip.

The authorities deal with these sites as high-risk points, amid fears that they could turn into a scene of new incidents as the flood season approaches.

Crocodile Feast

On Sai Island in northern Sudan, on the banks of the Nile, the appearance of crocodiles these days threatens the lives of farmers, especially after some of them suffered serious injuries as a result of crocodile attacks recently.

A Sudanese farmer died last Friday in the Siyasab area of the island after being attacked by a huge crocodile that dragged him into the depths of the river, in an incident that shook the region and left a state of shock and sadness among its residents.

An eyewitness who was with the victim at the time of the incident said that the farmer was among four colleagues who finished a workday in a tomato farm, before heading to the Nile bank to bathe and wash clothes, turning moments of rest into tragedy.

He explained that a sudden cry for help broke the silence of the place, after a huge crocodile ambushed the victim with a swift bite, then pounced on him with force and dragged him with tremendous speed towards the depths of the river, in an attack that gave his companions only a few seconds to try to save him.

The witness confirmed that all those present rushed to save their colleague, but the speed of the crocodile and the ferocity of the attack prevented that.

Warnings and Appeals

Meanwhile, local authorities in the city of Abri in the Northern State announced that a government team found the body of a farmer near the Saqiyat al-Abd area west of Sai Island after he was attacked by a crocodile last Friday, calling on citizens to stay away from the course of the Nile River and exercise extreme caution to avoid crocodile attacks.

The incident prompted the authorities to enlist crocodile hunters to deal with their increasing danger in the area, and the director of the administrative unit, Walid Salih Khalil, appealed to citizens and farmers to be cautious when on the banks of the Nile.

Civil Defense warned citizens of the appearance of crocodiles accompanying the Nile flood, urging them to be cautious and report any predatory animals.