A massive landslide in Sudan's western Darfur region has flattened an entire mountain village and killed more than 1,000 people, leaving only one survivor.

The disaster struck on Sunday after days of heavy rain, devastating the village of Tarasin in the Jebel Marra area, the Sudan Liberation Movement/Army (SLM), led by Abdulwahid al-Nur, said in a statement.

"Initial information indicates the death of all village residents, estimated at more than 1,000 individuals, with only one survivor," the group said, calling the landslide "massive and devastating".

The group appealed to the United Nations and other aid organisations for help recovering the bodies still buried under mud and debris.

Images the SLM published on social media appeared to show huge sections of the mountainside collapsed, burying the village under thick mud, uprooted trees and shattered beams.

Jebel Marra is a rugged volcanic range stretching about 160 kilometres southwest of North Darfur's besieged capital of El-Fasher.

The area is prone to landslides, particularly during the rainy season which peaks in August. A 2018 landslide in nearby Toukoli killed at least 20 people.

Darfur's army-aligned governor, Minni Minnawi, called the landslide a "humanitarian tragedy that goes beyond the borders of the region".

"We appeal to international humanitarian organisations to urgently intervene and provide support and assistance at this critical moment, for the tragedy is greater than what our people can bear alone," he said in a statement.

Much of Darfur – including the area where the landslide occurred – remains largely inaccessible to international aid organisations due to the ongoing fighting, severely limiting the delivery of urgent humanitarian assistance. (AFP)