Residents of Lokiliri Payam, Juba County, are living in fear after a lorry carrying chemicals overturned in the area on Wednesday.

The truck, which was laden with various unidentified chemicals, veered off the Juba-Nimule road and landed in a river – the only source of water in the area.

The chemicals have polluted the environment, particularly water and air. Residents say the smell has become unbearable.

“It smells so bad. I cannot even liken it to any bad smell there is on earth,” Mama Mimi, a resident describes to Eye Radio.

‘’And some of us have developed watery eyes.”

There is only one borehole which serves the community there. Mama Mimi said water has become an issue in the area.

“The borehole is jammed. One queues in a long line – from dawn till dusk. We’re suffering.”

Eye Radio also spoke with Central Equatoria state spokesperson Jacob Aligo.

“There are the rightful people who will do that one, because there is a ministry which is concerned and this thing should be brought to the attention of the minister of Water resources and irrigation.

“I would advise the community to keep away from the area where the contamination happened or to avoid taking that water until a solution is found.”

Access to clean drinking water is still a big challenge facing South Sudan.

Last month, a woman was eaten by a crocodile while fetching water from the Nile River in Piji County, Jonglei state.