Over 900 homes flooded in Jonglei’s Bor: Red Cross

October 15, 2014 (JUBA) – Red Cross officials in Bor, the capital of South Sudan’s Jonglei state, said at least 900 households have been displaced from their homes following heavy rains last Tuesday night.

“Hai Machuor, Leek-yaak and Block Two are [the] main affected areas,” Gai said, referring to Bor suburbs where large numbers of people were displaced by heavy rains.

“We (Red Cross) have informed our head office in Juba and a convoy of humanitarian items will be sent as soon as possible,” he added.

Bor experiences flooding annually due to heavy rains and overflow from the Nile River.

However, major flooding was largely prevented this year due to the construction of a dyke on the banks of the Nile River by forces from the United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) forces in May.

At least half of Bor’s population of 300,000 population, which were forced to flee their homes when violence peaked in January, have returned, according to local officials.

(ST)