Authorities in the Pibor Administrative Area say torrential rainfalls have rendered the main roads impassable to relief and commercial supplies, triggering a dire humanitarian situation in the area.
John Joseph Abuluk who is the Deputy Chief of the administrative territory says, humanitarian and commercial supplies to the area have been cut off by heavy rain since May.
He stated that dozens of trucks carrying relief and commercial supplies were stuck on muddy roads for a month in the terrains of Gumuruk, forcing some of them to return to Juba.
“Immediately heavy rain came, all the vehicles stuck in the plain for almost a month and that was the main problem that prevented the traders from delivering food there. Around forty-something trucks were stuck in the mud between Gumuruk and Ajiing stream. Some of them arrived but some got back to Juba,” Abuluk said.
According to Abuluk, medical facilities are devoid of drugs and markets have run out of stocks.
This, he said, has created an unimaginable situation for the locals.
“The survival of the entire population of the GPA population is under a really indescribable situation. There is not enough medical supply, there is not enough food and there is no anything there in the area,” he said.
Seasonal rainfalls and flooding in the Upper Nile region and other lowlands of the country often render feeder roads inaccessible, and impeding relief access to thousands of needy rural populations.
The official says the healthcare in the area is in near collapse, as most of the sick have no option but to nurse their illnesses at home.
“The outbreak of waterborne diseases is very common in the area, you find women, children and the elderly are frequently affected by the diseases and there is no medical supplies in the area,
“It is very difficult because there are no flights that can bring the patients to Juba, because the only place that we transfer patients to is Juba,” Abuluk stated.
Greater Pibor, a landlocked area of over 200,000 people is only accessible by two feeder roads; the Juba – Pibor road and the Bor – Pibor road.
However, insecurities and seasonal flooding have often times impeded access to the administrative area.
Last year, the main roads leading to the administrative capital Pibor were forced to close due to insecurities perpetrated by local armed youth and their neighboring counterparts.
The road was finally reopened in April, but with travelers moving under military escorts due to fears of deadly ambushes that have haunted the highways since the beginning of this year.