Flood waters recede in Unity state’s UN camps

November 9, 2014 (KAMPALA) – People in internally displaced camps in South Sudan’s Unity state are experiencing better living conditions as the rainy season comes to an end.

Of the 100,000 people displaced by violence into United Nations protection of civilian sites, 47,000 of them are reportedly in Unity state.

A Unity state health worker, who preferred anonymity, told Sudan Tribune from the capital, Bentiu that flood water had reduced as people pondered new ways of life after several months of violence.

“The level of flood water has gone down, compared to initial threats in August, September and October. We can see that the IDPs condition has improved from those days of water fight,” he said.

Thousands of children, he said, died due to poor health conditions in the camps.

“We witnessed a lot of children dying due to horrific conditions at the UN camp, mainly poor sanitations caused by flooding,” further said the aid worker.

A number of aid agencies, including Medicines San Frontiers (MSF), earlier raised alarm over the poor conditions in Unity state camps.

“One of the biggest challenges faced by the IDPs is lack of enough food in the camp forcing many of them go sleep without food,” noted the aid worker.

The United Nation has warned all out of famine in South Sudan, should the warring parties failed to ceased from aggression.

More than 1.8 million people have been displaced in South Sudan with majority fleeing to neighboring Uganda, Sudan, Ethiopia and Kenya after conflict erupted within the country’s ruling party (SPLM).

The UN warned of a looming famine in the country next year should fighting continue.

(ST)