Huts submerged in flood waters in Latjor | Credit | Facebook

Severe flooding across the country has affected over an estimated 900,000 people since July, the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian affairs has said.

Abnormally heavy seasonal flooding has been devastating large areas of South Sudan, affecting thousands including internally displaced people, refugees, and their host communities.

In a statement yesterday, UNOCHA says the rains are likely to continue for another four to six weeks and would put more people at risk.

One of the most affected areas is Maban, where communities are submerged, and health facilities and nutrition centers are filled with water or used to shelter people who have fled the flooding.

Alain Noudéhou, the Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan says he is extremely concerned about the humanitarian consequences of the floods.

But he says the United Nations is responding in coordination with the Government to save lives and uphold people’s dignity.

The heavy rains have hit areas that were already facing high humanitarian needs.

Across the 32 flooded counties in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Warrap, Eastern Equatoria, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity and Lakes, more than 3 million people were in need of assistance even before the rains, out of the over 7 million people in need countrywide.

More than 60 per cent of the flood-affected counties are currently classified as facing extreme levels of acute malnutrition.

“We are now scaling up and will be able to help people quickly, especially once the water levels reduce and access improves,” said Noudéhou.

He added that aid groups urgently require $35 million to respond with efforts in water purification tablets, plastic sheeting for temporary shelter, mosquito nets, and medicine for malaria, diarrhea and other waterborne diseases, and food and nutrition.