Over 9,000 displaced by floods in northern Juba

JUBA – More than 9,000 residents have reportedly been displaced from their homes in the Kworijik suburb of Juba after several days of flooding in low-lying areas of the capital.

Dozens of properties and crops are reported to have been submerged in the flooding, with others becoming inaccessible due to waterlogged roads.

James Sobi Pitia, Head of Sub-Chiefs of Kworijik Luri called on government, and humanitarian actors to urgently provide relief to flood victims.

“We are calling upon the government and humanitarian organizations to urgently provide us humanitarian aids to assist the suffering population,” Pitia told journalists on Tuesday in Kworijik.

“We would like to be assisted with tents, foods, and mosquito nets as well as the relocation of flood victims to the dry land,” he added.

Joel Loro Daudi, Chairperson of Youth of Kworijik said it was the worst flood even to hit the area.

“The floods are as a result of climatic change and construction of Juba-Bahr-el-Ghazal road which has blocked free passage of water to the river,” Loro said.

“We have more than 300 houses which have been destroyed by the water. Farm and other forms of livelihood such as goats, and chickens have submerged in water,” he added.

Francis Wani Mario, a 25-year-old resident of Kworijik said the situation is alarming and it demands urgent intervention.

“What happened is a sudden flood which occurred on Friday here in Kworijik, and the water has covered the whole area for the past five days now. The situation is very hard for children,” Wani said.

Many areas of South Sudan, particularly in northern and north-central states, are prone to flooding during the rainy season that runs from April to October.

Last year, the rainy season has been particularly devastating for many areas of the country, with the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) estimating that at least 850,000 people have been impacted and more than 389,000 displaced by flooding in areas along the Nile River since July.