Flooding in South Sudan has affected 273,000 people this year and could hit more than 1 million in the coming months as unusually heavy rains inundate conflict-stricken regions, the UN refugee agency (UNHCR) said on Friday.
“South Sudan is once again experiencing some very severe flooding, and unfortunately, mostly in parts of the country that have been hit by renewed fighting in the past six months,” Marie-Hélène Verney, UNHCR’s representative in South Sudan, told a UN press briefing in Geneva.
The number of people impacted more than tripled in August alone, with about 100,000 displaced, she said. “If this trend continues, we’re looking at more than 1 million people affected during the next few months, of which 400,000 will be displaced.”
UNHCR said large areas of Jonglei and Unity states are under water, swamping farmland, cattle, homes, schools and health facilities. The flooding coincides with conflict, food insecurity and a cholera outbreak that has infected around 90,000 people, further straining scarce services.
The agency is prioritizing assistance for up to 150,000 people, including cash support, emergency shelter, relief items and protection services. Verney appealed for more international funding, warning that without additional resources UNHCR’s ability to provide shelter, protection and clean water “will remain very limited.”
