Bor residents wade in flood water near South Sudan Hotel in 2019- Photo by Achiek Jok

Officials in Jonglei state’s capital, Bor, are encouraging residents to dig water passages in preparations of flash floods that are expected to hit the town in the coming days.

The state has warned of potential floods following heavy rains and news of the overflow of the Nile River and Lake Victoria in Uganda.

Bor Municipality urges residents to join hands in building water passages in their areas. 

Last year, Jonglei state was among areas hit hard by flash floods following heavy rains.

The flooding caused by persistent rainfall has reportedly rendered thousands of families homeless in parts of the country.

Areas of Baidiit to Athoch, up to Twic – South of Pakeer were submerged by water.

The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has often said it is unable to respond to any emergency because of lack of funds.

The Executive Director of Bor Municipality told Eye Radio today that the residents of Bor and other areas should do the little they can to divert flash floods.

Bor town is flooded yearly due to the overflow of the River Nile. 

“We are trying to warn our population of Bor Town to be ready because we are expecting a lot of rainfalls. We got information that the government of Uganda that the water levels on Lake Victoria and in Jinja have gone high and that they will be forced to open their dam, that means this year we will have floods,” said Paul Monkuer Dut.

 He added that some parts of the town have witness stagnant water because it rained over the last 3 days.

“We have told them [population] to open up small drainage at home to direct water to the main drainages that lead to the Nile,” he said.

Mr. Dut argued that the long-term solution to reoccurring floods in Bor town would be to complete the construction of dykes.

In October last year, President Salva Kiir declared a state of emergency in 27 areas affected by heavy rains and floods across the country.

The presidential decree highlighted the dire humanitarian situation inflicted on 16 areas in Greater Upper Nile, 7 areas in Bahr el Ghazal, and 4 areas in Equatoria regions.