South Sudan president raises alarm over flooding amid death of 7 people

South Sudan President Salva Kiir expressed concern about the rising floods in the country that has claimed seven lives in northern Bahr el Ghazal state.

Kiir said the floods have caused immense suffering for the affected population in the country.

“I am alarmed by the news of widespread floods affecting communities in different parts of the country. My office has been informed that seven people have died in Majak-bai, in northern Bahr el Ghazal State due to floods related to drowning,” Kiir said in a statement on Wednesday in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

The president directed the ministry of humanitarian affairs to work in coordination with the relevant stakeholders in the country to assist the affected communities as the government is working hard to mitigate climate-related hazards.

The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said thousands of people have been affected by heavy rains and flooding in the past weeks.

It noted that Warrap, Unity, Lakes, Western Bahr el Ghazal, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, and Jonglei states, among others, have been hit hard by heavy rains that have resulted in flooding.

The UN agency noted that crops have also been damaged, and schools and boreholes among other infrastructures have also been destroyed by flood waters with roads becoming impassable and certain areas inaccessible.

The OCHA said the number of people affected by floods in South Sudan has not yet been verified by the humanitarian partners. Enditem