Fr. James Oyet, secretary general of the South Sudan Council of Churches | Credit | Ivars Kupcis/WCC

The South Sudan Council of Churches has appealed for about $500,000 to support people affected by floods in the country.

“We, South Sudan Council of Churches (SSCC) leaders working within these communities appeal for assistance to be expedited to communities currently without humanitarian assistance,” Fr. James Oyet, secretary-general, said in a statement.

Torrential rains and flash floods have continued to displace hundreds of thousands of people and destroyed several homes across South Sudan.

Many families have been affected and dozens of villages have been destroyed by floods in mostly; Jonglei, Pibor, Upper Nile, Western and Eastern Equatoria states.

According to UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, more than 800,000 people were affected by floods in September across the country.

The religious leaders say the estimated amount could meet the immediate needs of 100,000 people in Jonglei, Lakes, Upper Nile, Equatoria and Unity.

In a statement seen by Eye Radio, the Council of Churches called on the global ecumenical church, faith communities, international donors, private sector and friends, and diaspora globally to support a scaled-up response within these communities.

“We call on global ecumenical church, faith communities, international donors, private sector and friends, and diaspora globally to support a scaled-up response within these communities,” Fr. Oyet stated.

Majority of the flood-affected citizens, mainly in Bor, are sheltering in the open, on higher grounds.

On Tuesday, local authorities reported that four people, including three teenage boys downed in the area at the weekend.

The money, he added, is needed to provide basic humanitarian needs including water, sanitation, health and nutrition, shelter, protection and food security, livelihoods and psychosocial support.

The appeal is also signed by other councils of churches leaders, including Bishop Arkanjelo Wani Lemi, the chairman, Episcopal Church Archbishop Justin Badi Arama and Catholic Archbishop Stephen Ameyu of Juba.

According to the United Nations, an estimated 80 million US dollars is needed for the overall flood response, including $46 million in the immediate assistance to 360,000 people until the end of the year.