KHARTOUM (AFP) - Hundreds of homes were destroyed or flooded this week as a dam burst after heavy rain in Sudan's Blue Nile state, a local official said on Saturday (Aug 1).

The dam collapsed on Thursday in the district of Bout in the southeastern state, "destroying more than 600 homes and flooding others", Nousseiba Farouk told AFP by phone.

Residents successfully evacuated their homes, she said.

Local media said the dam held five million cubic metres of water, used for both agriculture and drinking.

"We don't yet have an exact idea of the damage because we have not been able to reach the flooded area," Farouk added.

Torrential rains often hit Sudan between June and October, resulting in significant flooding.