Tuti Island sits at the confluence of the two niles in the heart of Khartoum surrounded by the three towns forming the urban capital, Omdurman, Khartoum North -Bahri and Khartoum (Figure 1). It is believed to be the first populated area in khartoum and it may have been established before the 15th century during the spread of Islam (Osman 2004). Although signs of Arabic language may have been present earlier than the 15th century in this region (Aldarier 1922). Such location promotes it to become the “urban core for culture, tourism and recreation” of Khartoum State (KPP5, 2009: 6). The island’s total area is around 472.3 Hectares–an estimated 30 percent of the area is used for housing and residential purposes (hillat), while 17.5 percent is agricultural land (swagi). The island has a flat terrain with a gentle slope toward the edges. Tuti’s population has increased thrice from 5851 in the years 1955/1956 up to 14400 in 1999 with the rate of 10 thousand each 45 years. Today the population is estimated at 22.000+ Inhabitants. 

Over the past 500 years, The inhabitants of Tuti Island have developed a culture of living with the Nile and managing its risks; their traditional flood monitoring and mitigation practices has kept their island safe for generations. The system consists of a network of lookout points – known as Tayas – selected for their strategic position to observe the two Niles and alert residents in case of imminent floods. The Tayas, usually in the form of tents, host a team of community volunteers responsible for the flood watch. Through this intergenerational tradition, Tuti residents have successfully faced major flood crises in 1946, 1988, 1998, 2006, 2013, 2014 and 2020 all of which caused great casualties elsewhere in the country, but during which there were no human losses reported in Tuti. In 2015 their efforts were praised and the island community was named a Champion of Disaster Risk Reduction to mark the 2015 edition of International Day for Disaster Reduction (IDRR).

This traditional practice, evolved overtime to become a community-led disaster risk reduction system that supports the management of multiple hazards beyond those associated with weather and climate. In 2023, following the break of the armed conflict, the Island remained under siege for over 10 months blocking access to essential supplies such as food, medicine and gas. During this period, the Tayas  and its teams have undertaken new functions as they become nodes for community action, preparing and distributing meals and basic food and water supplies to the neighborhood, and also maintaining the operation of the water and electricity stations, leaning on its long experience in leading community action, well-established teams and active fund-raising channels. This showcased how community-led flood mitigation can also strengthen the community’s resilience toward other hazards, such as water scarcity, food insecurity, health, safety and others. This traditional practice and culture can be integrated into anticipatory action for high-impact weather and DRR greatly reducing loss and damage. It can also effectively achieve the SENDAI Framework and SDG targets of safeguarding the heritage and securing the livelihoods of vulnerable communities.