Flood victims flee homes as waters rise in Unity state

By Bonifacio Taban Kuich

August 8, 2013 (BENTIU) – Some 500 households are under threat following heavy rains in the state capital, Bentiu.

The South Sudan Reliefs and Rehabilitations Commission (SSRRC) said they are working in conjunction with other aid agencies to confirm the number of affected victims and to respond swiftly to calls for assistant.

More residents from Bentiu as well as ” surrounding villages, including Kuerbokni, Daresalam, Kordapdap and Nyienypiu have fled their homes due to heavy rainfall that hit the state capital during the past week.

Floodwaters have surrounded some parts of the town and cut off roads, leading to fears that more residents may be forced to abandon their houses.

SSRRC state director William Kuol Geng says low lying areas are among the worst-hit, adding that this is the second time in the past year that the area has been affected by floods.

He said the situation was causing panic among some residents, with many left homeless after the downpour destroyed their homes.

“We had rain from the first week of August and it affected the whole area of Bentiu … We have about 43 blocks affected by the flooding”, said Geng, following a visit to the worst-affected areas.

He says SSRRC is continuing to assess the situation on the ground before taking measures to address he challenges faced by victims.

Geng said SSRRC had received information from neighbouring counties also experiencing the same problem, adding that the entire state remained under threat of floods.

He said an assessment team was planning to travel to Rubkotna on Friday and that SSRRC had also received reports from the flood-affected counties of Guit, Mayom, Koch and Payinjiar.

Geng added that recent floods are beyond manpower and called on the government to intervene by constructing a channel into the town to drain excess water.

HEAVY LOSSES

Mary Nyamuoka, a resident from block 70 opposite the main Bentiu Kalibalek market, which was among the hardest hit areas, says that many people had sustained crop losses due to the heavy rains,adding that the situation had worsened since people fled the area.

“I have to tell you frankly that the situation we are in now [is] worse compared to last year’s destruction by floods. We have cultivated enough this year but now all crops [have] [the] fallen into water,” she said, adding that the waters had taken a heavier toll than the previous year.

Gideon Gatdet Mayien, a flood victim flood from Daresalam, blames the government for failing to do enough to protect the town from flood waters.

“We have to blame the government for not responding to the needs of the citizens that were affected [by] the floods. If the government would be wise enough, they should have talk with NGO’s to assist us. For the last two days we have experienced mosquitoes, snakes and many more [challenges], including malaria and even our children are not willing to go [to the] schools because they lose hope from [the] government … Why they [do] not assist us while we are in [the] water?” said Mayien.

Nearly 10,000 people were affected by heavy floods last year, which brought poor harvests in counties such as Payinjiar and Mayiandit.

Following last year’s floods, the government said it would take measures to avoid a repeat disaster, including the construction of more dykes, roads and a channel to drain excess water flows.

(ST)