Floods in Bor Town, Jonglei, South Sudan, August 2020 | Credit | Komma Godfrey/UNHCR

Local officials have called for the urgent provision of shelter materials to safeguards people against rainfalls as aid agencies allocate $10 million for flood victims.

The UN’s Central Emergency Response Fund has earmarked more funds to support life-saving assistance to 360,000 people affected by devastating flooding in South Sudan.

“I welcome the much-needed funding from the CERF. It will help provide immediate relief to the most vulnerable people and scale up the humanitarian response in the most affected counties along the White Nile,” said Alain Noudéhou, the UN Humanitarian Coordinator.

This allocation complements the 1.3 billion South Sudanese pounds released last month by UN OCHA to support flood victims in the country.

Aid agencies say 37 out of the 78 counties in the country have been affected by floods as many areas are still underwater.

Pibor Administrative Area is among locations hard-hit by torrential rains and flash floods.

The new funding, according to the UN OCHA, will provide flood-affected families in such areas with emergency relief including food, temporary shelter and access to clean water.

These are among the items that Peter Lebelek, press secretary at the Pibor Administrative Area, said are urgently needed.

“What we are requesting to be delivered to the people is only shelters, blanket and most importantly, food…because people are dying of hunger in Gumuruk,” he told Eye Radio on Thursday.

The UN plans to also distribute mosquito nets, nutritional supplies, as well as basic hygiene items will be provided to improve health and sanitation conditions and help prevent water-borne diseases.

It, however, revealed that adults who are fit to work will receive food or cash in return for repairing dykes to defend their communities from future floods.

The CERF funding is allocated to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), World Food Program (WFP) and World Health Organization (WHO), which will be working with their partners on the ground.