One of the abandoned village in Panyijiar County - Credit | Riek Dar Teny | Eye Radio | August 14, 2020

A lawmaker representing Panyijiar constituency in the state assembly in Unity has called on President Salva Kiir to declare a state of emergency for states that are affected by floods.

Panyijiar County is located in the southern part of the Unity state.

The County border Jonglei state to the south and Lakes state to the western.

Last week, President Kiir declared a three-month state of emergency for the Jonglei and Pibor Administrative Area.

The President issued the declaration because of the unending circle of violence and the unfolding humanitarian situation.

A member of the state assembly in Unity state, Simon Gatluak Pech said the states that are bordering Jonglei are badly affected by the flood.

Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, and Upper Nile are the most states affected by the floods.

He suggested that the president should declare a state of emergency in those states.

“There must be a state of emergency for the neighboring states that are bordering Jonglei. All the states that have been affected by the floods so that the people feel that the government is concern about them,”  Pech said.

“The presidency has actually declared a state of emergency in Jonglei leaving the rest of the states.”

“Jonglei and Panyijiar County share the border, it has a border with Twic and Duk. So there is no difference between Jonglei, Panyijiar, and Yirol, these areas are located on the low land.”

The lawmaker stated that people in Panyijiar County urgently need food, shelter, and medical supply.

“The people of Panyijiar County need food and non-food because people have been displaced from where they live,” the lawmaker said.

“Most of the cattle have been taken to higher ground and people are suffering, so they need basic needs including health service because there are a lot of snake bites cases because people and snakes are competing over dry land.”