UN says some 800,000 people affected by floods in South Sudan

About 800,000 people have been affected by rising waters across South Sudan since May, according to a press release of the United Nations (UN).

The document said Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile regions are among the parts which have been affected by rising waters across the country since May. 

A delegation of government officials, university representatives, UN officials and diplomats on October 28 visited Bor in Jonglei to see firsthand the impact of the flooding in the area. "Through this visit, we heard the voices of the people, the government and teams responding to the flooding in Jonglei," Arafat Jamal, the Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim in South Sudan, said in the press release issued in Juba.

Jamal said the delegation witnessed the devastating effects of flooding but also saw hopeful efforts in terms of flood mitigation which has saved countless lives. He said affected communities spoke of entire villages uprooted as water inundated homes and farmlands, as well as a dramatic reduction in their access to essential health services, especially for expectant mothers. 

Concerns regarding the disruption to education were also raised, Jamal said, with parents increasingly worried about the impact of displacement on their children. "Through the distribution of food assistance, shelter items, lives have been saved - but it's not enough. The UN humanitarian response is just 62 per cent funded," Jamal said. 

The UN official also pledged continued support of the humanitarian community to the people of South Sudan and called for more intensive efforts to help communities adapt to changing weather patterns which had affected food security and sparked conflict as people seek safety on higher ground. "We are here to support communities as they deal with the increasingly frequent flood and drought events," he said.