Youth help a family move to a higher ground in Fangak, Jonglei State, on Thursday, October 7, 2021. Credit | Courtesy

More than 6,000 displaced by floods in Jonglei and Unity States are in dire need of humanitarian assistance in the area, the commissioner of Yirol East County in Lakes State has said.

Johnson Malual Achek told Eye Radio that those displaced are mainly from Payinjiar County of Unity State and Bor County of Jonglei state.

He said the majority of them are mothers and children who are now living in different areas of the County.

Achek, who said some of the displaced have camped at his home, are lacking shelter and food.

He warned of rising malnutrition among children and called on the humanitarian agencies to intervene.

“I have a big number of the IDPs from Payijiar County in Unity State and some from Jonglei State in Bor county, in the different area of Nyang I have 2300 family and in Adior 1,380 family and Malik 130 and all those are from Jonglei,” Achek said.

“The total number is 3,800 families in Nyang County and it can reach more than 6,000 people.

“We have not yet received any humanitarian assistance from those of the United Nation and World Food Program did register before here but nothing happened as I am talking to you right now.”

According to a report by UNOCHA, an estimated million people have so far been affected by the flash floods in 27 counties.

Jonglei and Unity states are the most affected – accounting for 58% of people affected.

Upper Nile, Western, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal come second as states badly affected by floodwater.

According to WFP, food insecurity in South Sudan has increased in the last few years and currently affects more than 60 per cent of the country’s population.