The Members of Parliament representing Longechuk County have raised an alarm over the dire humanitarian situation of the area.

According to the report tabled by the lawmakers on the floor of the house, at least two people had drowned in the floodwaters while trying to escape the deteriorating situation.

A thirteen-year-old Nyachiew Pal Kier reportedly drowned at Biot of Wechlew, Pamach Payam, as the family was relocating to the higher ground. A 29-year-old Nhial Pajieng also drowned in Palguop Boma of Pamach Payam.

They called for urgent intervention of humanitarian agencies and well-wishers to rescue the people in the area.

The lawmakers including Martha N. Gatkuoth, John Mayual Nguot and Mat Ruon Wur in their joint report said at least 6,117 households with 30,585 individuals have been displaced from their homes to high lands by the floods.

“There were reports of increased snake bites, disease outbreaks, destruction of crops, and loss of livelihoods such as cattle and goats,” the report partially read. 

Victims severely affected

They said the most affected villages in dire need of humanitarian assistance include Malual Gahoth, Gueng, Bethlehem, Lietkong and Bulthonyjul payams of Longechuk County.

“We are appealing to the well-wishers and good Samaritans to help people who are affected by this flood in these payams,” added the joint statement.

Possible remedies

In an interview with Mat R. Wur, a lawmaker representing Longechuk County said there is an urgent need to evacuate the people from the most affected areas to save their lives.

Wur stressed that some areas could hardly be accessed by humanitarian vehicles except helicopters or boats.

“We are having a concern along the River Nile, that area needs urgent assistance because those people have no access to a dry area,” he said. 

He added that the situation was worse in most areas except in a few places where it had not been submerged into the water.

The lawmaker hinted that the government of the county was working tirelessly to save lives but that there were inadequate means for evacuating the people.

“They need humanitarian assistance and some of them need evacuation. Evacuation can only be done by boat or helicopter. There are some areas where people should walk but it is long-distance not good for children,” Wur added.

He said it was only men who managed to evacuate to the dry land with livestock, adding most women and children were left stranded in the flooded areas.

Flood victims

According to the latest statistics by the United Nations High Commission for Refugees, approximately 700,000 people have been affected by floods across the country.

The UNHCR country representative to South Sudan, Arafat Jamal in the United Nations briefing on Tuesday said that flooding was a resultant negative impact on climate change.

He said that there was a dire need for clean water, food, livelihoods, land, and a healthy environment. He disclosed that approximately 1000 displaced persons had walked long distances in search of dry land where they could be safe.

“In Upper Nile State alone, UNHCR teams met around 1,000 people who had walked for seven days to reach Malakal town. Women, children, and elderly people arrived exhausted and hungry. Some had not eaten in days. Others are marooned on islands surrounded by water, sheltering under trees and unable to cross to safety,” he articulated.

He said that floods had encroached areas that had never been affected by floods since 1962 this year.

“As the worst flooding in decades impacts over 700,000 people across South Sudan, the UN Refugee Agency is alarmed by the critical needs facing the most vulnerable,” Jamal said. 

The UNHCR representative called for intervention to save families and enable them to adapt to the effects of climate change.

 “The flooding not only triggers immediate humanitarian crises but will reverberate through the coming year as entire planting seasons are lost,” he cautioned.

National response

Jamal appreciated the government of South Sudan for its response to floods in the country.

 “Local governments are also working to alleviate suffering within the communities including building dykes, installing systems to pump out floodwaters, and to redirect excess water through canals,” he said.

This month, the Cabinet approved $10 million to be directed towards humanitarian assistance to flood-affected people across the country.

On Thursday, the construction of the giant dyke aimed at preventing further flooding in Jonglei State was launched. 

An official confided that the dyke would mark the end of flooding in Jonglei which is one of the four most affected states in the country.