Families displaced by flooding in Fangak County of Jonglei State cram themselves on heaps of papyrus leaves as the entire area sinks underwater. (-)

Norwegian government has offered over $2 million in emergency humanitarian efforts for flood victims in South Sudan, announced the country’s Development Minister Anne Beathe Kristiansen Tvinnereim.

In a statement at the weekend, Ms. Beath said, $951 000 of the cash is given to the UN Humanitarian Fund for South Sudan and the other more than $1 million to the Norwegian Refugee Council as its contribution to the response through the UN Emergency Relief Fund (CERF).

The Norwegian’s support will primarily go towards providing health care, shelter and food to flood victims, in addition to clean water, sanitation and hygiene measures.

This aid comes at a time hundreds of thousands of South Sudanese are reeling from the devastating impact of the torrential-induced flood and over flow of the Nile river that has left communities in low land areas

Over 3.3 million people in South Sudan are expected to be affected by floods this year. Already a million people are said to have been displaced due to the flood.

The flood crisis in South Sudan has put the county at critical situation with local conflicts exacerbating the already dire humanitarian situation.

“It is important that Norway and other countries contribute to help the severely tested civilian population in South Sudan. Norway’s humanitarian partners are already engaged in life-saving efforts, and we want to enable them to save more human lives”,  added the development minister.