South Sudan declares disaster in flood-affected areas

Abandoned shelters are surrounded by water in Majak Awar village, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State, South Sudan, Wednesday, Oct. 20, 2021 (Adrienne Surprenant, Associated Press file)

JUBA, South Sudan — South Sudan's government has declared flood-affected parts of the country as national disaster areas and appealed for assistance.

Friday's appeal came after torrential rains in the Upper Nile and Bahr el-Ghazal regions.

Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the floods have displaced thousands of people and claimed hundreds of lives.

Earlier this week, President Salva Kiir appealed to humanitarian partners for help.

South Sudan has experienced extreme flooding over the past three years, with more than 800,000 people affected in 2021 alone.

Since the beginning of rainy season in May, flooding in parts of the country has forced some health centers to close and stranded populations, leaving them vulnerable to water-borne diseases and snake bites.