Abandoned villages submerged by floods in Northern Bahr el Ghazal. (Photo: Michael Daniel.)

The government of Northern Bahr el Ghazal is encouraging the state residents to move to higher grounds and find lands to settle and cultivate ahead of the rainy season.

Many of the five counties of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State are in plain low-lying areas susceptible to seasonal floods.

In 2022, nearly seventy people died due to flood-related causes, and hundreds of thousands were internally displaced in the state, according to the authorities.

William Anyuon the state minister of information said thousands of people have now returned to their homes after the floodwater started receding late last year.

He said the local communities are recovering from the devastating impact of the fourth seasonal flooding in country – despite the uncertainty ahead.

Minister Anyuon stated that the government has provided necessities like boreholes in the higher grounds to encourage the civilians to move there.

Speaking to Eye Radio on Sunday morning, he said both the state government and the communities are now prepared for the worst-case scenario.

“The state government is encouraging all the citizens of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State please to migrate to the higher grounds and cultivate there in case of flooding,” he said.

“We are providing clean water to the islands by drilling boreholes. So, we have established some necessities like clean water in those areas and many people are now migrating. So, both the government and civilians are well prepared.”

The official, however, said some people are reluctant to leave their homes, although they have acquired places on higher grounds.