AWEIL – At least 25 homes belonging to returnee families at Machar-Apuoth camp in Wunlang Payam of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State were destroyed by a heavy storm on Thursday, leaving dozens of people without shelter.
The strong winds ripped off roofs and covers from temporary shelters, exposing families to cold weather and rain as the rainy season approaches. Children, women, and elderly people are among those most affected, with many now sleeping in the open.
Juma Bol Aguer, the chairperson of the returnees at the camp, said the storm struck at around 3:00 PM and caused widespread destruction to shelters built by the displaced families.
“The heavy storm began around 3:00 PM on Thursday, and up to now, we are still in the open. The biggest challenge is affecting the children and the elderly,” Bol told this outlet.
He said the destruction of the shelters has left families vulnerable to diseases and harsh weather conditions.
“We are appealing for more support because shelters are important for health. People can easily get sick if they sleep without a cover,” he added.
According to Bol, the returnees are already facing shortages of food and other necessities, making the situation even more difficult.
In response, Northern Bahr el Ghazal State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) Coordinator Akot Mawich acknowledged the challenges facing the returnees and said authorities would coordinate with humanitarian partners to provide emergency assistance.
Mawich said an emergency meeting would be convened with aid agencies to assess the damage and support the affected families.
Meanwhile, more than 40 returnee households stranded at Majok-Yith-Thiou border town near Sudan are also appealing for urgent assistance after arriving from Sudan two weeks ago.
The families are currently living under trees while trying to find transport to their ancestral homes in different parts of the country.
Ajang Deng Bol, a representative of the stranded returnees, said many families cannot afford transport fares to areas such as Twic County in Warrap State and Aweil East, Aweil South, and Aweil North counties in Northern Bahr el Ghazal State.
“We want to continue to our destinations, but we have no money for transport,” Deng said.
“We have reached out to ACTED here, and the organization pledged to support us with some cash assistance, but it has not yet been implemented,” he added.
Deng also revealed that a baby died last week due to the difficult living conditions faced by the stranded families.
“The situation is very serious. We lost a child here last week and buried the baby in the forest because we do not have homes,” he said.
South Sudan continues to receive increasing numbers of returnees and refugees fleeing the ongoing conflict in neighbouring Sudan. Humanitarian agencies say the growing influx is stretching already limited resources, making emergency response and resettlement efforts more challenging.
