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 late Sunday, the ministry said that the Arbaat dam had collapsed and that resources had been deployed to the area to help the people who had been stranded.

The statement said at least four people had died in the floodwaters but did not give an estimate of how many were missing. However, a local official told the Sudanese news site Al-Tagheer that he believed there to be at least 60 dead and many more missing. Amr Eissa Taher, the head irrigation official for the Red Sea state, said the damage was extensive.

The Sudanese news outlet Medameek reported more than 100 people were missing, and that many other villagers had climbed to hilltops to avoid the rising waters.

The dam, which is 40 kilometers (25 miles) north of the city of Port Sudan, is one of the country's many dams that help it manage its seasonal floodwaters. The two upper branches of the Nile river meet in the country.

The dam burst on Saturday night following heavy rains, according to local media reports. Information has been difficult to gather in the area due to mobile network outages.

Sudan has been roiled by a 16-month conflict and devastating floods. Aid officials say it is in the midst of the world’s worst humanitarian crisis.