Heavy rains have caused the River Nile to burst its banks, destroying schools and health care units in Twic East County, Jonglei state, and displacing more than 3000 families.
Heavy rains have caused the River Nile to burst its banks, destroying schools and health care units in Twic East County, Jonglei state, and displacing more than 3000 families.
“The floods hit 17 villages of Nyuak, Knogor, LithPayam. They are badly affected by the flooding and the magnitude of the flood. It also affected seven schools and four primary health care units were destroyed. We have now 3,250 households displaced,” said Mr.Dau Akoi Jurkuch, Twic East County Commissioner.
Speaking to media from Bor, Mr. Dau said flood waters continue to flow from the east of the county and could cause more displacement. The commissioner said the worst affected areas are 17 villages in the county, with worries of waterborne diseases and malaria specially children.
The commissioner is calling for urgent humanitarian assistance to the people and government support.
Meanwhile, by Dr. Luka Biong Deng, Director of the University of Juba Centre for Peace and Development has said that humanitarian aid agencies should strengthen their coordination with the local community leaders in order to reach people who are most in need of support. He said this during a public lecture at the university.
Coordinating humanitarian aid in South Sudan has not been an easy task lately due to the ongoing conflict. Restricted access to some parts of the country has often made it difficult to reach out to some people in most need of aid.
‘Humanitarian agencies need to step up their coordination efforts with the local communities in order to deliver the much needed humanitarian support,” says Dr. Biong.
“My advice to the international community, to the UN agencies, is that the local dynamics are very important. Sometimes, although some of them may not respect the cessation of hostilities, you should ensure your own engagement with these local commanders because they have their world by themselves…By the end of the day, it is their people that you are assisting,” he said.
Lack of good road access has also hindered aid access to needy people. As in the case of Twic East which has been affected by floods, it will be difficult for humanitarian assistance to reach people on time due to lack of road access.
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