Kiir to declare state of emergency as floods submerge six states and Abyei Area

JUBA – South Sudan’s President Salva Kiir is expected to declare a national state of emergency after more than 700,000 people were affected by floods across six states and the Abyei Administrative Area since July, with the situation worsening by October 3.

The Minister of Humanitarian Affairs requested the Council of Ministers to recommend to President Kiir the declaration of a national disaster due to the severe flooding in the affected areas.

“There is a possibility that the peak of the flood will be expected to be in November 2024,” said Deputy Information Minister Dr. Jacob Maiju Korok following a cabinet meeting on Friday.

The six states—Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap, and Northern Bahr el Ghazal—along with the Abyei Administrative Area, have been hardest hit, with significant infrastructure destroyed, rendering many areas inaccessible.

“Over 772,000 people, across 38 counties and administrative areas, with a population of 198,000 people, [including] 35,000 displaced people, [have been affected], destroying schools, hospitals, and other important infrastructure in the states,” Korok added.

The floods have impacted vast parts of South Sudan, severely affecting both humans and animals since July.

Korok also noted that the government could potentially mobilize resources from donors to support citizens impacted by the disaster.

“The government and its partners are responding to the floods in the affected areas and the states across the country,” he added.

The Council of Ministers unanimously endorsed the presentation, calling for swift action.

According to a report by the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA), as of September 25, flooding had affected over 735,000 people across 38 of South Sudan’s 78 counties and the Abyei Administrative Area.

The International Organization for Migration (IOM) reported that 76,230 people had been displaced.