South Sudan: Floods - Aug 2020

As of late July, short periods of high-intensity rain have resulted in a seasonal overflow of the Nile River in low-lying, flood-prone areas of Bor, Duk, and Twic East in Jonglei. The floods displaced approximately 1,800 households in Bor South and submerged crops in Duk. The NOAA/NCEP Global Ensemble Forecast System shows a sustained likelihood of heavy rainfall through August 10, 2020, in eastern South Sudan. Although the scale of flooding is lower in 2020 compared to 2019 so far, a consecutive year of flood-induced crop and livestock losses in low-lying areas along the Nile River and Pibor-Akobo-Sobat basin would exacerbate existing food insecurity into the post-harvest period. (FEWSNET, 4 Aug 2020^[1])

Engineering troops serving with the UN Mission in South Sudan are engaged in an ongoing battle against flooding caused by broken dykes in Bor, in Jonglei, aggravated by heavy downpours. Across the state, primarily in Bor South and Twic East, some 135,000 people are believed to be displaced.(UNMISS, 8 Aug 2020^[2])

The situation is worsened by the onset of the rainy season, which has led to the displacement of over 5,000 people due to floods in Bor South and Twic East counties in Jonglei. According to local authorities, the number goes up to 150,000 for eastern Jonglei. (ECHO, 11 Aug 2020^[3])

Heavy rainfall has been affecting central and eastern States of the country (in particular Jonglei, Eastern Nile, and Pibor States) since late July, causing the White Nile River, and the Akobo River to overflow, triggering floods that have resulted in casualties and damage. In Jonglei State, media report as of 14 August, around 200,000 displaced people, and thousands of destroyed houses across Bor South, Twic East, Duk, and Ayod Counties. In the eastern part of Upper Nile State, approximately 30,000 people were reported affected across the Renk County. In Pibor state, a number of families were reported displaced throughout Pochalla County. (ECHO, 14 Aug 2020^[4])

More than 600,000 people have been affected by flooding in areas along the White Nile since July, with Jonglei and Lakes the worst affected states. Heavy rains have caused rivers to overflow their dykes and banks, flooding vast areas and settlements along the White Nile in the centre of the country.The majority of people displaced moved to higher ground near their homes and plan to return once the flood waters recede. In Bor South, over 33,000 people earlier displaced by conflict and flooding in Twic East and Duk counties to the north have moved west into Awerial county, and are now sheltering in Mingkaman town IDP settlement. (OCHA, 3 Sep 2020^[5])

References

1. ^{^} FEWSNET, 4 Aug 2020 (reliefweb.int)
2. ^{^} UNMISS, 8 Aug 2020 (reliefweb.int)
3. ^{^} ECHO, 11 Aug 2020 (reliefweb.int)
4. ^{^} ECHO, 14 Aug 2020 (reliefweb.int)
5. ^{^} OCHA, 3 Sep 2020 (reliefweb.int)