Flood waters surrounded the IDPs camp in Bentiu, Unity State - COURTESY

The four-year flooding in South Sudan submerged 60% of the country’s land and triggered a catastrophic humanitarian situation, the Medicines Sans Frontiers has said.

In a press release, the medical charity says Jonglei, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap, Western Equatoria, Lakes States, and Abyei Administrative Area, all experienced severe floods in the past few months.

MSF says the floods have displaced hundreds of thousands of people, killed millions of animals, and destroyed thousands of acres of farmlands, leading to an escalating food security crisis in the country.

According to the charity outreach team, the situation has caused an alarming increase in rates of moderate to severe acute malnutrition – with more than 4000 children treated for malnutrition from January to September this year.

It also reports a sharp rise in cases of malaria – with at least 81,000 patients treated for malaria in two months alone.

MSF says the flooding has left tens of thousands homeless, and isolated villages and made delivery of humanitarian assistance challenging.

“With nowhere else to go, tens of thousands of people have relocated to displacement camps,” reads the statement.

“The lack of shelter, safe drinking water, and sanitation facilities in the camps have led to outbreaks of infectious and waterborne diseases and other health risks.

“The result has been a humanitarian disaster for a population that already endures far too many of them.”

The charity organization fears that as the dry season approaches, there is an increased risk of a flareup of inter-communal violence, as some may undertake cattle raids to regain animals lost during the floods.

According to the World Food Program, an estimated 75 percent of the country’s population is on the brink of famine.