Hippopotamuses have overrun part of Panyagor town of Twic East County after the rise of water levels from the Nile River, according to the Twic East County Commissioner.

Heavy rains and floods have also displaced hundreds of people and destroyed thousands of houses in the county headquarters.

“The water has already capture the headquarters of the payam, it has enter houses and you cannot find a dry place and most of the houses have collapsed and everything has stopped,” Commissioner Dau Akoi told Eye Radio. “Business people cannot do business, because all the shops are full of water, they roads are already cut-off, and they level of water is increasing in the river Nile.”

The Commissioner also said that hippos have destroyed most of the dykes that were built in three payams of the county.

“The hippopotamuses have nothing to eat in the swampy areas, that is why they are coming to the dry land – looking for pastures.” he told Eye Radio.

Over thirty thousand people have been displaced, and some have moved to higher grounds fearing being eaten by hippos according to Commissioner Dau Akoi

Commissioner Dau also said that there is a threat of an outbreak of waterborne diseases because most of the pit latrines in the town have been flooded with water.