Northern Bahr el Ghazal rises to challenges of devastating flood

By Ngor Arol Garang

August 4, 2010 (KHARTOUM) — Senior government officials from Northern Bahr el
Ghazal state and international relief organizations on Wednesday warned of
rising challenges posed by devastating floods in the area.

Flooding in the state caused by surface water as a result of rains has affected
a sizeable population of residents in towns.

Kuot Jel Akoon, minister of Physical Infrastructure in the state government
however said his ministry has increased efforts in drainage system to encourage
proper flow of water. “We are encouraging people to dig water outlets. We are
also using our excavators,” he said, adding they are not encouraging people to
evacuate.

He said the flow of water can be blocked. “It is neither from rivers nor from
any water bodies. It is manageable,” he said, revealing formation of crisis
management committee to engage in assisting victims in drainage and assessment.

Health experts in the committee are advising affected population to build
toilets, drink only treated water, wash food properly before cooking and wash
their hands before eating.

He said the authorities were distributing chlorines and calling on the
population to adopt strict personal hygiene and follow food and water
consumption guidelines. They should avoid drinking water which is not
chlorinated and eating at makeshift street markets where food is not well
preserved, the minister cautioned.

While government officials have not reported death casualties, fear over spread
of possible water disease like cholera in Aweil town and in the affected areas
in Aweil South, flows in the minds of hundreds after unusual heavy rains
triggered severe flooding and landslides that have submerged houses and made
traditional pit toilets unusable.

“We have witnessed in the past like in 2008 such an alarming threat by effects
of the floods with subsequent spread of cholera outbreak and other epidemic,”
said Jacob Yel Garang, SPLM Youth League Chairperson in the state.

“With heavy floods everything is submerged and one can hardly stand the
nauseating smell of the still water,” he said, adding cholera being one of the
water borne disease which is brought on by exposure to contaminated water.

This
produces acute watery diarrhea that can quickly lead to severe dehydration. If
untreated, it sometimes kills within hours.

Like many areas, safe drinking water is regularly in short supply in Sudan’s
state of Northern Bahr el Ghazal. Many from the area especially intellectuals
and highly educated folks say the poor turn to untreated water from hand-dug
wells, hence become the vulnerable group to cholera and other water-linked
diseases like gastroenteritis.

Commenting on response made by the government, the official said a crisis
management committee involving international and national disaster management,
relief organizations and ministry of physical infrastructure has been formed.