The sharp rise in water prices was just the result of a week's air attack on the Red Sea city in the Port of Sudan.
Once seen as a relative haven for Sudan’s devastating civil war, Port Sudan has now rolled up from the bombing day of the Rapid Support Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.
After six days of drone attack, the smoke still came from three fuel depots targeted. Rescue teams gather around the destroyed ruins, but they are working to put out the fire.
The conflict began with the fight between the RSF and the military more than two years ago, which created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and forced more than 12 million people to leave their homes.
One of the people who fled to Port Sudan is Mutasim, 26, who does not want a second name published for security reasons.
The BBC waited for hours to speak to him.
Important commodities have become scarce. The explosion of the fuel warehouse left the Port of Sudan without the diesel used to power the pump that brought groundwater.
Mutasim told the BBC that despite the loss of £2,000 ($3.30; £2.50) per day, he is now charged five times the amount.
This left him and seven other members of his family without a lot of water for cooking, cleaning and bathing.
“Low, we won't work,” he said.
Water is not the only challenge for Port Sudan.
Daily life is returning to normal, with markets and shops open, but there are a lot of cars outside the city gas stations as people desperately wait for fuel.
“It will take me five hours to get gasoline,” Mutasim said.
This is a situation that many Sudanese have faced before, but not in this city.
Before the recent attack, people were able to enjoy themselves at night in Port Sudan [Bloomberg / Getty Images]
Until last week, Port Sudan was one of the few places in the country that were seen as protected by the worst civil war.
“We came here two years ago from Omdurman,” Mutasim said, referring to the city on the other side of the Nile River in the capital Khartoum.
Set up in a new place, which makes the family pay their full savings – $3,000 (£2,250).
“We were forced to leave our home by RSF, so it was a relief to be here. Life began to return to normal.”
“We are thinking about moving because it’s no longer safe, but it’s so expensive – where are we going?”
The Port of Sudan has been experiencing a power outage over the past two weeks, and the latest attacks have made the situation worse.
“My aunt is 70 years old and she struggles with heat and humidity because there is no electricity at night,” Mutasim said.
“We can’t fall asleep.”
Hawa Mustafa is unsure what will be done next after the Port of Sudan is hit by a drone attack [BBC]
Hawa Mustafa, a teacher at El-Geneina in Darfur, the western part of the country, also seeks asylum in the Port of Sultan.
She lives in a shelter with her four children and lives for more than two years for the displaced. She said the attack this week left her “living in fear”.
“Drones come to us, we are back to a state of war and lack of security,” she told the BBC.
“The sound of drones and air defense missiles reminded me of the first day of the war.”
Hava lives without her husband, because her safety situation deteriorates and her husband cannot leave the house. She is now responsible for her family.
“If the situation in Port Sudan worsens, I don't know where to go. I plan to go to one of my neighbors, but it seems that this dream will not come true anymore.”
Mariam Atta, another city-based person, told the BBC that “life has changed completely.”
“We are trying to deal with it,” she said. “Fear is constant.”
People living in the Port of Sudan camp get help from aid agencies that use the city as distribution centers [AFP / Getty Images]
Since the Sudanese Civil War began in 2023, humanitarian agencies have relied on the Port of Sudan as a gateway to aid, as its port and the country’s only functional international airport.
Organizations such as the United Nations World Food Program have used it to provide food assistance.
“The Port of Sudan is our main humanitarian hub,” said Sudan's client Leni Kinzli.
“In March, we distributed nearly 20,000 tons of food, and I would definitely say that more than half of it is from Port Sudan,” she told the BBC.
WFP said there are currently famines in 10 areas of the country and 17 more dangerous places.
Now, many aid agencies are concerned that these attacks may prevent the flow of aid, thus making the humanitarian situation worse.
“I think this will severely limit the delivery of life-saving food and medical supplies, which will potentially worsen the already critical situation,” Shashwat Saraf, national director of the Norwegian refugee committee, told the BBC.
He added that while agents will look for other routes to enter the country, it will be challenging.
At night, the city is very quiet.
Before the attack, people would gather on the shore, and some would watch football in local cafes. But the power outage has left the city in the dark, and residents choose to stay at home for safety reasons.
More BBC stories about the Sudan War:
go bbcafrica.com More news about the African continent.
Follow us on Twitter @bbcafrica,on Facebook BBC Africa Or on Instagram bbcafraca
BBC Africa Podcast
