No water, no power - Port Sudan reeling after week of attacks

A massive increase in the price of water is just one consequence of a week of aerial attacks on the Red Sea city of Port Sudan.

Once seen as a relatively safe haven from Sudan's devastating civil war, Port Sudan is now reeling from days of bombardment from the Rapid Forces (RSF) paramilitary group.

After six days of drone attacks, smoke is still rising from three fuel depots which were targeted. Rescue teams are gathered around the destroyed sites, but they are struggling to put the fires out.

The conflict, which began as a struggle between the leaders of the RSF and the army more than two years ago, has created one of the world's worst humanitarian crises and forced more than 12 million people from their homes.

One of those who fled to Port Sudan is 26-year-old Mutasim, who did not want his second name published for safety reasons.

The BBC spoke to him after he had waited hours for a water vendor to turn up.

The vital commodity has become scarce. The explosions at the fuel depots have left Port Sudan without the diesel used to power the pumps that bring up the groundwater.

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Mutasim told the BBC that whereas a day's supply of water cost him 2,000 Sudanese pounds ($3.30; £2.50) a week ago, he is now being charged five times that amount.

It leaves him and the seven other of his family without much water for cooking, cleaning and bathing.

"Soon, we won't be able to afford it," he said explaining that he gets money from buying and selling basic goods in the market.

Water is not the only challenge in Port Sudan.

Daily life is going back to normal, markets and shops are open, but there are crowds of cars outside the city's petrol stations as people desperately wait for fuel.

"It could take me five hours to get petrol," said Mutasim.

It is a situation that many Sudanese have faced before, but not in this city.

Until last week, Port Sudan was one of the few places in the country that was considered protected from the worst of the civil war.

"We came here two years ago from Omdurman," Mutasim said, referring to the city that sits on the other side of the River Nile from the capital, Khartoum.

It cost the family their entire savings - $3,000 (£2,250) – to set up in a new place.

"We were forced to leave our home by the RSF, so it was a relief to come here. Life was starting to go back to normal."

"We were thinking about moving because it is no longer safe here, but it's so expensive - and where do we go":[]}