Flooding in South Sudan leaves UN worried over humanitarian situation

By Tapeng Michael Ohure

The UN Special Representative of the Secretary General Nicholas Haysom has expressed concern over the dire humanitarian situation in parts of South Sudan’s Unity State due to flooding.

Haysom visited the State capital Bentiu on Tuesday yesterday to assess the flood situation in the region.

Addressing journalists in in Juba on Wednesday, Haysom described the flood situation in the country as dire.

“Yesterday, I travelled to Bentiu to see the impact first hand. I can only describe the situation as dire,” Haysom said.

“Flood waters are not receding and hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced and in desperate need of assistance,” he said.

The UN Chief said his organization is working to help people affected by floods.

“UNMISS is doing all it can to support communities, including our Pakistani engineers, who have built 70 kilometers of dykes to protect the town, airport, and displacement camp” in Bentiu, Haysom said.

He warned that the floods have impacted on humanitarian needs negatively.

“Right now, our humanitarian partners report that they simply can’t bridge the gap in the available funding and resources to reach all those in need in Bentiu,” Haysom said.

“The consequences could be disastrous in terms of food insecurity, lack of healthcare, education and the risk of water borne diseases.”