Floods displace over 2,000 households in S. Sudan’s Jonglei state

September 10, 2015 (BOR) – Persistent floods have displaced between 2,000 to 3,000 households in South Sudan’s Jonglei state as a flood mitigation plan was being drafted.

The mayor of Bor town, Nhial Majak Nhial, in a press address, appealed to communities to fully cooperate with the state authorities in their attempts to open water ways in Bor.

“To drain the town, we have to open the drainage areas in places inhabited by people. If you are living in actually water drainage, we will be able to ask you to cooperate so that we drain 1000 houses, you sacrifice part of your of plot”, Nhial told reporters.

“People have to come out and open the drain into the main drainage lines. We the people also want to watch in the areas were we have cut the dyke, because we will cut the dyke to let water go into the river, but when the backflow happens, members must intervene first and inform the government so that we intervene in key areas we need”, he added.

The state information minister, Jody Jonglei said government was coming up a budget for a drainage system in town, urging the population to be flexible in dealing with floods.

“When we made a dyke, we didn’t actually open the way for excess water to go to the river. This is our problem now. The government will focus on them and then we will come with a solution, the people will be flexible actually to give us chance”, he said.

(ST)