Flood victims in Duk Panyang County need aid: official

A local official in Duk Panyang County of Jonglei State has urged aid agencies operating in the area to assist the flood victims.

A local official in Duk Panyang County of Jonglei State has urged aid agencies operating in the area to assist the flood victims.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Saturday, the county commissioner, John Chatim said many families whose homes were destroyed by heavy floods have not received humanitarian aid since September.

“Floods destroyed homes, forcing 42,551 families to move to dry areas since August, but these families lack food as crops were destroyed and the area is cut off. There is no humanitarian assistance since September,” Chatim said.

The commissioner called for humanitarian intervention in the county.

Duk Panyang is one of the Greater Jonglei State counties affected by floods, cutting it from surrounding areas.

According to the United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UNOCHA), more than 908,000 people have been affected by heavy rainfall and subsequent flooding, of whom 620,000 people need immediate humanitarian assistance.

Last month, President Salva Kiir declared a state of emergency in all the flood-affected areas.