At least 18 people have died due to hunger-related situations in a span of three months, in Panyijiar County of Unity State, local authorities said.
The commissioner, Majok Bol said the victims were lost to starvation and hunger-induced sicknesses, between November 2022 and January 2023.
“In greater Nyal, there were five elderly people who were not able to move. On the side of Marial, there are people who are suffering and some left to Amongapiny,” Bol said.
“In greater Gany-liel we have like 8 people all are elderly who lost their lives because of starvation. And people are moving out of the area.”
Commissioner Majok told Eye Radio that the area has severely been hit by hunger since September last year.
Bol has attributed the cause of the hunger to the devastating impact of the four years of flooding in the area.
He said the victims include five elderly people, eight women, a mother and four of her children.
Bol said the siblings and their mother died while fleeing to the neighboring Yirol County of Lakes state.
He stated that their bodies were found in nearby bushes along the way to Lakes state.
“We have a number of women who lost their lives, and there is a mother who died with her four children after getting lost in the bush between Amonpiny and Panijiar and found their bodies in the bush.”
“We don’t know if they were eaten by Lion or wild animal and they are five in number, a woman and her four children.”
The official added that the situation was exacerbated by the scaling down of food assistance by the UN’s World Food Programme in June last year.
Commissioner Majok Bol said most of the locals left the area for the neighboring counties in Lakes state.
He is now appealing to the government, the UN and humanitarian agencies to intervene in the situation in the area.
“I’m urging the UN, the World Food Program, and the UN agencies who are operating in South Sudan, in general, to put their view in the area of Panijiar for the suffering our community is facing now.”
“I am also appealing to the government of unity state to inform them we need a quick response base on the situation faced by local community in Panijiar County.”