OPP Leader Peter Mayen cum minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management. Credit | Courtesy

The government has allocated 16.7 million US dollars for emergency flood response and contracted 25 national companies to supply food and non-food items to floods affect populations across the country.

25 companies will deliver emergency humanitarian response in Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile as well as flooded areas in Equatoria region.

Some of the companies contracted on Thursday are Richard Auto, Sam Property Services and Contracting Company LTD, City Logistics LTD, Soon General Trading Co. Ltd and many others.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Peter Mayen Majongdit said on Thursday that the contractors will provide the much-needed basic items for the populations.

“The ministry of Human affairs and disaster management today has contracted 25 companies to ensure that they are able to embark and responds, government response towards disasters, and we still also respond to the call,” he said.

On Friday, the government declared flood-affected parts of the country as national disaster areas, and appeals to humanitarian organizations and well-wishers to render assistance.

Information Minister Michael Makuei said the Council of Ministers noted that torrential rains triggered floods that have affected Upper Nile and Bahr El-Ghazal regions.

The government spokesperson said the national disaster declaration was intended to raise alarm and help government mobilized resources to rescue the affected people.

Meanwhile, Minister Mayen Majongdit said the government is in full position to respond to the disaster “because they are our people.”

“When disaster strikes, disasters can’t wait, disasters do not know procedures or process, bureaucracy and other things,” said Mayen to the contracted companies.

“So I call on all those companies that have responded, the 25 companies as the phase page, to response to the disaster in various areas.”

South Sudan has experienced extreme flooding over the past three years, with 835,000 people affected by flooding in 2021 alone.

In October last year, the Council of Ministers approved 10 million US dollars to support people displaced or affected by flooding.

Minister Mayen told Eye Radio last year that his ministry contracted some companies to deliver the food assistance to the affected states.

With the declaration of a national disaster over most parts of Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile regions, the country marks the fourth year of the worst flood catastrophe in decades.

Since the beginning of rainy season in May, heavy rains swelled and burst riverbanks; flooding settlements and displacing thousands of people to higher grounds in Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Unity, Warrap, Jonglei and Upper Nile.

Last month, two people died and six others including five children went missing as boat capsized in flood waters in Northern Bar el Ghazal State, according to local officials.

The state police spokesperson, Captain Guot Guot Akol said the victims were among 20 people crossing the Lol River to higher grounds in Aweil West County, after fleeing floods in Aweil North County.

Their rescue boat overturned while in the middle of the overflowing river on Friday.

In Ruweng Administrative Area, North of Unity State, authorities said ten people died from venomous snake bites, while 50 others are hospitalized for the same condition last week.

Similar reports of flood-induced deaths and displaced were also reported in Maban in Upper Nile State, Mayendit and Panyijiar counties in Unity State, parts of Warrap and Western Equatoria State.