Four people, including a woman with a child strapped on her back, were on Saturday found floating along the Jonglei Canal in Ayod County, Jonglei State. 

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj, Gabriel Tot, the county Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) coordinator, said the four bodies were discovered on floodwaters along the Canal Saturday following heavy rains. 

“The body of the woman with a child, and a man were found flowing northwards. They may have drowned in Duk or Ayod South areas. Investigations are ongoing to establish their identities. On the same day, a 27-year-old man called Lam Kuong Gai also drowned while trying to cross east,” Tot explained.

He added, “Floodwaters have submerged trees and shrubs in the Canal. People can't swim and there are no boats. So, this is the cause of the tragedy.”

The local official pointed out that the situation will worsen in the coming months if the county gets no support, saying all livelihoods are destroyed. 

He appealed to government and aid agencies to provide canoes and food aid for the over 15,000 flood-displaced communities in the greater Ayod area.  

According to the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC), thousands of people have been displaced by floods and conflicts in parts of Jonglei, and they could face serious food shortages and disease outbreaks if not supported.