At least nine people have been reported dead, and more than 90,000 people displaced from the southern part of Rubkona County of South Sudan's Unity State as heavy floods ravage the area.
Authorities say four people drowned while four others died from snakebites in the county.
In an interview with Radio Tamazuj, the commissioner of Rubkona County Gatluak Whichar Nyak said according to county reports, 96,000 individuals have been displaced due to the floods.
"I just talked to humanitarian organizations yesterday to get humanitarian emergency services to rescue the community which has been affected by floods. We talked to the governor of Unity State to get us water batches to rescue the people from flooding water from few areas which are occupied by floods," Whichar said. "The only places which are not occupied by floods are Rubkona county headquarters, Pakur, Ding-ding, Panhial, Thawic. But the whole of Nhial Diu Payam, Charchar, Atomadol, and the surrounding villages are underwater."
Whichar stressed that the situation is dire and the people need urgent intervention, "What happened is a catastrophe and it needs quick intervention. People are suffering. They have no food to eat and there are no homes and their properties have been brought to Rubkona county headquarters."
The commissioner urged humanitarian organizations to rescue those affected flood victims by clearing the roads, providing mobile clinics, food, and temporary shelters.
Philip Puot, a Nhial Diu Payam administrator in Rubkona county said that all the villages and houses have been carried away by floodwaters.
"The flood has displaced us to Rubkona county headquarters and people are suffering a lot. There is no food, no medicine, and no mosquito nets. People are sleeping in the open air on the main road," Puot lamented.
Nijani Yel Baden Deng, a flood victim in Nhial Diu Payam says the elderly, women, and children suffer the most. She says the weather is cold and there is an influx of mosquitos exposing them to sicknesses as they lack food, blankets, medicine, and mosquito nets.
"There are a lot of consequences of diarrhea, snakebites in the water, Malaria and there is no medicine. We are completely suffering," she added.
Michael Riek Malieu, a businessman and chairperson of the Traders Union in Rubkona said the market is flooded and the traders are seeking refuge at county headquarters.
The chairperson of the Leek community Lam Tungwar Kueigong has also come out calling on the Unity state government, humanitarian agencies, and persons of goodwill to support the displaced communities.
Tungwar says homes and property have been destroyed and thousands of people have been left homeless and without their livelihoods. He adds that the displaced are now facing severe hunger and disease.
“We extremely need funding, material support, and others to cover medication, clothes, food, and shelters at this critical time. We appeal for support from every organization, individuals toward this great cause that will see our people stable and sustainable until they go back to their homes soonest floodwater subsides,” Tungwar appealed.
According to the community chairman, Unity State has been hard hit by the floods amid the Covid-19 pandemic making life even harder.