A flood-affected old lady speaks to young men at her home somewhere in Upper Nile region in November 2019 | Credit | Facebook

The East African Legislative Assembly has enacted a bill that once passed into law will obligate member states to respond to the impact of climate change in the region.

Rain-triggered disasters, including flash floods and landslides, have killed at least 250 people and affected some three million people across East Africa in recent weeks, with about half of the deaths occurring in Kenya.

Homes have been demolished, crops destroyed and roads swept away, hampering relief efforts in far-flung areas.

In the short term, weathermen say the Horn of Africa is expected to be much wetter as a tropical disturbance moves in from the Indian Ocean.

A member of parliament representing South Sudan at the East African Legislative Assembly says the legislators have passed an intervention bill that requires the regional countries to respond to the flooding that is expected to worsen in few days.

Hon. Kim Gai called upon the regional leaders to urgently convene and look into the matter.

“That body should be established immediately so we can know exactly how we are going to solve any problem created by any climate change,” Kim Gai told Eye Radio via phone from Arusha, Tanzania.

Last month, President Salva Kiir declared state of emergency in parts of the country.

The republican decree says Maban, Longechuk, Maiwut, Ulang, Nasir, Fangak and Akobo have been affected by torrential flooding.

Kiir also identified Pigi, Waat, Nyirol, Uror, Duk, Bor, Buma state, and Twic East as areas in critical humanitarian conditions.

However, his administration has not done anything to save the lives of nearly 1 million people affected by the flooding.

Only humanitarian partners and some western governments such as Germany, Norway, United States and United Kingdom have donated millions to help the vulnerable.