CAIRO -- A dam collapsed in Sudan's eastern Red Sea state, sending water flooding over nearby homes, the country's health ministry said. Local media said dozens of people are missing.

In a statement released late Sunday, the ministry announced that the Arbaat dam had collapsed and that resources were being deployed to the affected area to assist those stranded.

The statement indicated that at least four individuals had perished in the floodwaters but did not provide an estimate of the number of missing persons. However, a local official told the Sudanese news website Al-Tagheer that he believed there were at least 60 fatalities and many more unaccounted for. Amr Eissa Taher, the head irrigation official for the Red Sea state, described the extent of the damage as significant.

Medameek, a Sudanese news outlet, reported that over 100 individuals were missing and that many villagers had sought refuge on hilltops to escape the rising floodwaters.

The dam, located 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the city of Port Sudan, is one among many dams within the country that aid in managing seasonal floodwaters. The two upper branches of the Nile River converge within Sudan.

The dam breach occurred on Saturday night following heavy rainfall, according to local media reports. Gathering information in the area has been challenging due to mobile network outages.

Sudan has been grappling with a protracted conflict lasting 16 months and devastating floods . Aid organizations say the nation is facing one of the most severe humanitarian crises globally.