Hon. Gatwech Peter Kulang, the undersecretary in the ministry of humanitarian affairs & disaster management reading a statement during an interview with Eye Radio - August 18, 2020 - credit | Woja Emmanuel | Eye Radio

The government has initiated response coordination to assist the people affected by floods in the country, the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management has said.

Torrential rains and flash floods have continued to displace thousands of people and destroy 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, Unity, Western, and Eastern Equatoria states.

Officials have raised the alarm of the devastating impact of the persistent rainfall in Bor, Renk, Pibor, Pochalla, Ibba, and parts of Kapoeta.

They said many people have sought refuge on higher grounds, in schools and churches – with the majority living in the open.

Other key infrastructures, including roads, boreholes, and market places, have also been damaged, increasing the need for humanitarian assistance.

Gatwech Peter Kulang, undersecretary at the ministry, told Eye Radio that the government has set up structures to facilitate emergency response in areas affected by floods.

He said this was possible through the support from humanitarian organizations.

Gatwech stated that the government has already initiated a response to assist the people affected by floods.

“The ministry has set up response and recovery structures at state and local levels to assist the delivery of the emergency response activities with support from UNP,” he said.

“The government under the leadership of the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management with support of humanitarian organizations are supporting the affected population with life-saving assistance and has initiated response coordination.

“In our response, our UN partners are using the prepositioned and identifying possible gaps as well as the need for replenishing the material deployed for the response.”

On Wednesday last week, President Salva Kiir declared a three-month state of emergency in Greater Jonglei and Pibor Administrative areas due to the unfolding humanitarian situation there.