FILE: Main bridge leading to Akoka in 2017. Credit|UNMISS

Authorities in Akoka County, Upper Nile State, say torrential floods have submerged homes, leaving residents in dire conditions after being forced to leave their homes.

Andrew Monychol, the County Executive Director, says hundreds of people have sought shelter on higher grounds in the bushes to escape the flooding.

Monychol appealed to the national and state governments, as well as aid organizations, to provide urgent assistance to those affected.

“In the past two days there has been heavy rainfall and as you can see now I am standing in the middle of the water and with no means available here to help the citizens we appeal to the government to provide a helping hand and as you can see people have been forced to move from their areas because of the rain to the forests until the land dries up.

“So, we call on the government in the state to look into the suffering of the citizens due to the floods and we appeal to the organizations working in the humanitarian field to intervene and save the situation,” said Monychol in a statement to the state-run SSBC on Tuesday.

Severe flooding has also been reported in other parts of the country, including the Greater Pibor Administrative Area and Panyijar County in Unity State.

The National Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation has issued warnings about rising water levels in rivers across the country, including the Nile and Sobat, where the risk of flooding continues to grow.