Thousands displaced by floods in Jonglei’s Twic East

October 9, 2014 (BOR) – Thousands of people have been displaced and some 3,260 homes destroyed by heavy flood waters in Jonglei state’s Twic East county.

Seven schools and four primary health care units were also reportedly destroyed following three consecutive days of heavy rain from 3 to 7 October.

According to county commissioner Dau Akoi, the dykes around the villages, some of which were constructed by the Jonglei Food Security Program (JFSP), a project implemented by Catholic Relief Service (CRS) with USAID funding, have been washed down.

Akoi described the current situation in the area as a disaster.

“People are displaced to higher places in Baping and Dong. Houses fell and more will collapse in water. You rarely the see the ground, there is water all over,” he told Sudan Tribune on Thursday.

He said 17 villages in Nyuak, Kongor and Lith payams (districts) are badly affected by flooding.

The raising levels of the Nile water is also threatening the county’s primary dyke after rupturing it in three places.

While community members in Kongor had repaired one of the holes, water was flowing freely in another two areas.

“The flow of water is heavy and dangerous to people who may try to close them. This even makes the situation worse,” the commissioner said.

Despite flooding across large areas of the county, the airstrip, which is being closely monitored by the community, has so far remained dry.

Poor road conditions has cut transport from the county to the state capital of Bor, with travellers to Bor and Juba from Pangagor relying on flights.

Traders are also dependent on flight to transport their goods to Panyagoor.

(ST)