The road between Tharjaith and Koch County as of last week. Photo: Bigoah Gideon Majok

Flash floods have displaced hundreds of families in Koch County, Unity state.

This is according to Gordon Koang Diel, the Koch County Commissioner.

Diel says heavy downpours in the past few days have submerged houses, forcing locals to seek refuge on higher grounds.

He stated that the road between the oil field, Thar-jath has also been rendered impassable.

Four Payams including, Pakuru, Norpur, Gangi and Mermer are also reportedly submerged by water.

More than 1,500 people displaced from their families are now seeking shelter at the county headquarters.

Gordon Koang says the people are in dire need of humanitarian relief, such as blankets, food and medicine.

He is now appealing to the national and state government to intervene and rescue the situation of people affected by the floods.

“Pakuru has 255, Ganj with 235, Nurpur has 225 and Mermer has 222 displaced due to the flood waters that inundated those area”, Gordon Koang Diel told Eye Radio on Sunday.

Last year, torrential rains and flash floods displaced thousands of people and destroyed several homes across South Sudan.

The most affected areas are in Jonglei, Pibor, Upper Nile, Unity, Western, and Eastern Equatoria states.

According to IGAD Climate Prediction, heavy rainfall is expected to continue in northern and central parts of South Sudan till mid of September.

The UN refugee agency says an estimated 380,000 people have been affected by flooding in six states since May, with Jonglei and Unity the most affected.