Watchdog ‘seriously concerned’ over rise in flood-related deaths

JUBA – South Sudan’s civil society watchdog, the Community Empowerment for Progress Organization (CEPO), has expressed concerns over the increase in flood-related deaths across the world’s youngest country, urging authorities to make a timely and adequate responses.

This comes after at least two girls died of snakebites in Warrap State’s Tonj North County as flood ravage most parts of the already fragile state.

In a statement extended to Sudans Post, CEPO said it is concerned by the sharp increase in deaths related to floods such as the snakebites, and called on both national and state governments to make a concrete response which it said should be urgent.

“CEPO is seriously concerned about the sharp increase in death rates of snakebites due to the floods across the country and the government concern authorities are silent till today. The floods implications on communities are so negative in livelihood and health aspects,” the statement signed by CEPO’s Executive Director Edmund Yakani reads in part.

“The effectiveness and the efficiency in timely and adequate responses to the floods is needed from the state and the national governments and the government should consider the floods as a real national security threat that requires government concrete responses,” the statement added.

The statement further called on “actors that are engaged in floods to take special attention to the category of the society from the persons with disabilities and old aged persons” and urged “the council of ministers to have regular deliberations on the matters of the floods in the country.”