A section of residential homes submerged by floodwaters in Unity State – Courtesy photo.

Bentiu, Unity State (Eye Radio) –  At least five people have died and more than 1,000 others have been displaced following three consecutive days of torrential rain in Unity State, according to a state official.

The Minister of Information and Communications for Unity State, Eng. Gatwech Bipal Both, told Eye Radio on Friday, May 23, that the heavy downpour has caused widespread destruction across several counties.

He said the most affected areas include Mayiandit, Koch, and Rubkona, where the rains hit hardest on Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday.

“In Mayiandit County alone, about 1,000 households have been destroyed, with multiple schools and health facilities damaged,” Minister Gatwech said. “Three people were struck by lightning—one confirmed dead and two others are hospitalized.”

In Koch County, the storm destroyed 69 buildings in Koch Market, damaged nine schools and four churches, and killed 70 head of cattle.

Meanwhile, in Rubkona County, two people have been confirmed dead, three others are hospitalized, and several homes, schools, and health centers have suffered significant damage.

Minister Gatwech noted that the Unity State Government, in collaboration with humanitarian partners, has begun offering initial relief. However, he stressed that the magnitude of destruction is beyond the state’s capacity to respond alone.

“This situation is overwhelming. We urgently appeal for national and international support, particularly in the form of shelter materials, food, medical supplies, and reconstruction aid—especially in rural areas where infrastructure has been severely affected,” he said.

The minister added that more rains are expected in the coming days, raising concerns about further displacement and destruction.

The Unity State government is continuing to coordinate with aid agencies to assess the full scale of the damage and respond to the urgent needs of affected communities.