4 people die in Jonglei’s Bor flood
By Philip Thon Aleu
October 9, 2008 (BOR) – At least four people had drowned in Jonglei’s Bor County following increasing level of water, an official said here on Wednesday.
Over ten thousands households, hundreds of livestock and gardens are either displaced or destroyed in the affected Bor Payam; Baidit.
Commissioner Abraham Jok Ariing told Sudan Tribune that the romping River Nile water instigates instability, halts evaluations of displacement rate and devastates settlement in Baidit Payam.
“It is a security threat….. because settlement has become very difficult,” he said adding “people are moving from lower land to higher land.”
A team of local leaders and reporters that visited the Payam on Wednesday found that the level of water has remained fairly constantly high (about two meters deep on the road) since August; igniting fears that 2008’s flood in Bor (area that floods) could be “different.”
Ariing attributed the flood to River Nile diversion at Nyin-de-tiing-die ma-xou (one of Nile tributaries in Bor area) due to blockage there.
No aid has, so far, been delivered to the victims of the two months flood and equally not possible at County’s capacity (in the near future) unless from external help, Ariing warned.
The flood baths Baidit Payam, one of the vast Payam in Bor County since August. Cars drive through water for a distance of four miles before reaching Baidit headquarters where hand made dykes are built to protect administrative blocks.
Chiefs tolerating flood with their masses claim that health has been deteriorating sharply recently. Children and the elderly have victims of the flood related illnesses.
However, the dead four are said to be adults without further elaboration in accordance to Dinka Bor culture that restricts death announcement.
Jonglei state, a plain relief, has been under tense pressure from flood this year in what is seen as a shift of major challengers; from arms insecurity to flood, resulting to poor harvests. In another report, thousands of homes have been destroyed in Korfulus and Akobo Counties.
Leaders there claim the harvest will be the poorer compared to 2007. Much of water that over flow River Nile and resulting to flooding due to blockage and lower plateau of Jonglei areas, is from Equatoria States rains since local rains are barely well distributed, some analysts say.
(ST)