What happened in this Health story?

Hundreds of children have died of starvation and disease in Sudan as a record-breaking El Niño pushes the country toward full-blown famine, with two Darfur camps already at famine levels and 29 million people going hungry.

What is a key fact in this story? (1)

**The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)** warned that El Niño-driven drought has pushed two Darfur refugee camps to famine levels, killing hundreds — mostly children — from malnutrition, cholera, and measles.

What is a key fact in this story? (2)

**Abdel Wahid al-Nur's rebel faction** reports at least 1,800 people have died of malnutrition in three Darfur areas under its control.

Sudan Drought: Hundreds of Children Dead, Famine Looms — SkimNews

By New Scientist · Summarized & edited by Kapil Samant · 2026-10-16

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The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) warned that El Niño-driven drought has pushed two Darfur refugee camps to famine levels, killing hundreds — mostly children — from malnutrition, cholera, and measles.
Abdel Wahid al-Nur's rebel faction reports at least 1,800 people have died of malnutrition in three Darfur areas under its control.
Nearly 29 million people (62% of Sudan's population) are eating less or going hungry, and the failed sorghum harvest leaves no food buffer before June's rainy season, said CARE's Manon Radosta.
Sudan's civil war has displaced 14 million and disrupted farming, with the UAE accused of arming paramilitaries while Turkey, Russia, Egypt, and Iran back the armed forces.
High-income donor countries have given only $1.25 billion of the $2.87 billion the UN says Sudan needs this year, leaving CARE "unable to keep people alive," per Radosta.
The current El Niño is forecast to exceed the previous sea-surface temperature record by 60% — which would make 2027 the hottest year ever and bring deadly heatwaves to the Sahel in March-May 2027, per University of Reading's Liz Stephens.

Why it matters: With a $1.62 billion aid shortfall and the civil war displacing 14 million, humanitarian groups are unable to keep people alive as the strongest El Niño on record intensifies the drought — a convergence of conflict, climate, and donor fatigue already pushing two Darfur camps to famine.