A humanitarian worker is pictured in a flood-submerged homestead in Panyijiar County of Unity State. (Photo: Courtesy).

An estimated 15,000 people are in dire need of humanitarian assistance as their houses and farms are submerged in flood water in Nyal, Panyijar County in Unity State, according to a lawmaker.

The flooding is reported to have engulfed the area since May 2024 and submerged unspecified number of homes – leaving most households vulnerable to high risk of water born disease.

Dr. Moral Mark, an MP who visited the flood-affected area in central South Sudan, said the victims are left with nothing to eat and barely feed on fish and wild lilies.

“People are displaced to the highlands. It might be 15,000 people. Children and adult are in a bad situation of water borne diseases,” he said.

“You can really shed tears in that situation and they have nothing to eat they only feed on local fish and while lilies.”

The legislator said there no tangible progress with regards to flood preparedness in Unity State, although the national government passed a 78-million-dollar budget for flood response.

He said the other payams of Panyijiar are bracing for the flood impact by building dikes with their hands, which are likely to be washed away in the event of intensified rainfall.

“I have heard on news and have seen on social media that the government has passed a budget for flood preparedness, but that preparation has not yet been made tangible in Unity State. Nothing is seen yet.”

Marol called upon the government and partners to intervene and provide emergency humanitarian assistance in Nyal.

Devastating floods are expected to hit South Sudan over the next three months, threatening to worsen food insecurity and further limit access to safe water and proper sanitation facilities, said Doctors Without Borders/Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF).

South Sudan ranks seventh in the world for people’s vulnerability to river floods – seasonal floods in recent years have destroyed health facilities, water and food sources, and shelters.

Between 2019 and 2022, torrential rains and rising water levels around Lake Victoria, one of Africa’s Great Lakes, generated a wide swampy area of flooding in the country.

“The predicted increase in rainfall in 2024 is very concerning given the number of people at risk in flood-prone areas; threats to water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH); and the risk of water- and vector-borne disease transmission,” said Joe Aumuller, MSF epidemiologist activity manager.

The expected severe flooding is feared to force people to flee their homes, reduce the availability of crops and livestock needed for proper nutrition, disrupt aid delivery, and increase the chances of disease outbreaks like hepatitis E, which has become endemic in some places in South Sudan.

“This year’s predictions are particularly concerning for those in internally displaced people’s camps or transit centers where people are living in overcrowded conditions,” Aumuller said.

On July 12, South Sudan Council of Ministers passed a 78-million-US-dollar budget for emergency floods preparedness and response across the country.

The emergency budget was passed after the Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Albino Atak presented a memo to the cabinet amid looming flooding forecasted to submerge much of the country and leave 3 million in dire need.