About 800,000 people have been displaced by rising waters in South Sudan since May, according to a United Nations report.
According to the report, the Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile areas have been among those affected by rising waters across the country since May.
On October 28, a delegation of government officials, university representatives, UN officials, and diplomats traveled to Bor, Jonglei, to witness firsthand the effects of the flooding.
“Through this visit, we heard the views of the people, the administration, and the teams responding to the flooding in Jonglei,” said Arafat Jamal, South Sudan’s Resident and Humanitarian Coordinator ad interim.
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 noted that the 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.
“Via 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.