Flood-displaced NBGs civilians living on edges of highway

Author: Michael Daniel | Published: Sunday, October 2, 2022

Flood IDPs are seen occupying one lane of an highway in Aweil East County ( Photo: Michael Daniel).

Civilians displaced by flooding in Aweil East County of Northern Bahr El Ghazal State are living on road sides after flash-floods submerged villages, forcing an estimated 2,000 households out of their homes, according to local authorities.

The paramount chief of Koum village Garang Tail said flooding said torrential rainfall throughout September has caused a humanitarian disaster in the village.

“Currently in this camp we have two thousand displaced people, while the others are distributed in the rest of the areas, due to the lack of space for refugees to the rest of the remote dry areas,” said Tail.

A video footage captured on September 30th showed the displaced civilians occupying one side of a tarmacked highway, and restricting vehicles to one lane.

The local chief told Eye Radio that flooding has destroyed livelihoods and left the residents of the village without food and other basic needs.

He said the displacement camps are afflicted with waterborne diseases due to lack of clean drinking water and unhygienic condition.

“We are facing some difficulties after the village was flooded with diseases such as cholera due to the failure of the water pump, so people came to drink rain water. The same applies to infections and malaria,” he said.

“First, we want food, because all the food and the crops were destroyed by the rain. Even if you go now to the camps, you will not find anyone with food.”

The state relief and rehabilitation commission said last month, that nearly seventy people died due to flood-related causes and hundreds of thousands are displaced in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State in August and September.

RRC Coordinator Dut Majokdit said 38 people drowned as floods submerged their homes while 30 others died from venomous snake bites.

The IDPs in Aweil East County on Friday lamented a dire humanitarian situation triggered by the seasonal floods.

Some of the women in Akuem village who spoke to Eye Radio appealed to the government and humanitarian organizations to provide assistance.

“The waters of the river flooded our homes when we were sleeping. At night we were surprised by the water under our feet and our house has been destroyed,” said a middle-aged woman named Regina.

She added: “This year is the worst compared to previous years. All the livestock have died and now I have infections and my house is also destroyed.”

“We appeal to the government and charities to support us with shelter because we are taking refuge on the road and food, if available. When it rains we can’t find a place to go but sit and stay awake until morning.”

According to IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center, moderate rainfall is expected in western parts of the country from September 28 to October 5, 2022.

In April this year, the IGAD Climate Prediction and Application Center forecasted heavy to very heavy rainfall over five East African countries including South Sudan in the coming weeks.

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