Floods affect 200,000 people in Upper Nile’s Maban County

October 4, 2019 (MABAN) – Unprecedented heavy floods have affected at least 200,000 refugees and host communities in South Sudan’s Upper Nile’s Maban County, the UN refugee agency said.

The agency said people are seeking safety from the flood waters wherever they find dry land, mostly on small islands as unprecedented water levels have submerged vast areas.

The affected population is in dire need of humanitarian aid, it stated.

“Flood waters are slowly receding, but aid delivery is still heavily curtailed due to damaged roads and continued high water levels in certain areas,” the agency noted in its latest report.

Meanwhile, UNHCR said it conducted initial rapid needs assessments in Doro refugee camp and its host community from October 30-31.

The assessment, it said, showed refugees and host community members are at risk of disease outbreak due to flooded latrines which have resulted in contaminated surface water in addition to the high risk of water borne diseases due to stagnant water.

According to UNHCR, the total number of South Sudanese refugees has now passed 2 million and it is currently the largest refugee crisis in Africa.

(ST)