DARFUR, Sudan — Villagers in Sudan’s western Darfur region are digging by hand to reach victims after a devastating landslide buried multiple villages on Sunday, aid group Save the Children said.

“People are excavating by hand to rescue the bodies of their relatives since there are no tools or machinery,” said Francesco Lanino, the group’s deputy Sudan director for programs and operations.

The death toll remains unclear. An armed group in control of the area reported as many as 1,000 dead, while Sudan’s national health ministry confirmed only two bodies recovered.

Save the Children said at least 373 bodies had been found, citing the head of the Civil Authority. Lanino warned that “1,000 lives may have been lost, including an estimated 200 children.”

Aid workers described “destruction and devastation” in the Tarseen area, which consists of five villages. According to Save the Children staff, only one known survivor has been found in the worst-hit village.

The landslide, triggered by heavy rainfall, has been difficult to verify due to the region’s remoteness. However, BBC Verify’s satellite imagery identified nine structures washed away between March and September.

Reaching the disaster zone took Save the Children staff more than six hours to cross 22 kilometers of rocky, muddy terrain, much of it on donkey.

Workers managed to deliver the first humanitarian supplies to survivors.

The civil war in Sudan has further complicated rescue efforts. World Vision said ongoing hostilities between the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) and the Sudanese army have hindered aid access.

Sudan is already facing a humanitarian crisis from the conflict, with US officials last year estimating up to 150,000 people killed since fighting erupted in 2023. — BBC