At least 12 people, including five children, have starved to death in the Greater Pibor Administrative Area’s (GPAA) Likuangole County from 28 June 28 to 2 July, local officials reported.
Likuangole County Commissioner John Gogol while speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Tuesday, appealed for food aid, saying more residents were starving.
“Over the period from 28 June 28 to 2 July, we lost 12 people; 4 men, 3 women, and five children. The deaths are from hunger and thirst. People lack food to eat and the waters from the rivers here is turbid,” he stated. “What exacerbated this hunger is crop failure. Now people are relying on grass like herbivores and the edible grass is even getting depleted.”
“We appeal for aid intervention to avert this looming hunger,” Commissioner Gogol lamented.
On his part, Oleyo Akwer Nyalus, the GPAA Information minister, said the situation is dire and echoed the appeal for intervention.
“The situation in Likuangole is out of hand and even the rest of the counties are affected,” he bemoaned. “For example two days ago, two men were found starved to death while on their farm in Gumuruk. We want intervention.”