A building surrounded by flash waters in Gogrial | Credit | Akuei Bol Majok

The number of people who have died from snake bite after flash floods submerged several homes in Warrap State has risen to 24.

This is according to Agot Ayar Chieny, the Acting State Minister of Information.

Over the past weeks, torrential rainfalls have resulted in unprecedented levels of flash floods in the area, forcing poisonous snakes to float into people’s homes.

Agok says apart from the destruction of livelihoods, incidents of snake bites remain their greatest concern.

“The sankes bite people every day and some are under treatment but the figures are not clear. The number will be bigger than that 24 because the issue of snake bites is everyday”, Agok Ayar told Eye Radio on Sunday from Kuajok.

At least 197 people have so far been bitten by snakes in the state.

He says the state hospital lacks medicines to administer victims of the snake bites.

“We are appealing to the national government and health agencies to intervene with the treatment because we may lose so many people” Agok says.

Annually, torrential rains caused havoc in several parts of the country, including Jonglei, Lakes, parts of Central and Western Equatoria states.

According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs or UNOCHA, an estimated 426,000 people have been affected by flooding in six states since May – with Jonglei and Unity the most affected.