Jonglei capital overwhelm by floods

By Philip Thon Aleu

November 10, 2008 (BOR TOWN) – Breaking tradition of flooding in August, September or early October, residents of Bor town were nearly submerged Sunday night by flood that down huts and restrict movement.

Government says an “emergence measure” has been considered.

Pan de Machuor, Pan-gak and Pan de Liet (Bor town suburbs) have been critically hit. Lang-bar 2 and Block Ten too report water commotion in past weeks. Hundreds of people have been affected. Some families, frustrated or have no options, prefer building dykes, though overrun by the increasing water in less than an hour.

Asked for government response to the flood Monday morning, Hussein Mar Nyout – Jonglei State Minister for Local government and the deputy Governor, says there is one appropriate and applicable solution.

“We are talking to ASCOM Company so that they build a dyke [because it can stop water coming]. This is an emergency measure that we have a dyke here,” Mar Nyuot told Sudan Tribune at Pan de Machuor where the Nile River is thought to have depressed at its bank.

Governor Kuol Manyang Juuk, flanked by state ministers; Hussein Mar, John Amuor Kuol, Agot Alier Leek, Kengen Jackor and Taban Jouch, survey the area to evaluate the magnitude of the water as well as accessing likely effect on the residents.

“There is nothing we can do apart from building a dyke and open some canals so that water in the residential areas is drain back to the river,” Mar lamented. Estimating the effect of last night flood on town residents Nyout says: “A lot of people! A lot of people have been affected and even last night they did not sleep at all.”

A woman seated on a chair and resting her feet in water told the touring Government officials that she could not move away despite losing entire residential plot to water. “I will build my dyke with my children using stones,” she said.

Remote Counties of Pibor, Pachala, Twich East, Akobo, Khorfulus and Duk as well as the State host County of Bor reported flood this year. Highlighting flood-related impacts, Mar indicates that food production, animals’ diseases and human illnesses have been noteworthy this year.

(ST)