The road linking Renk County to Melut County has been cut off by floods caused by Asher stream making the movement of people and goods difficult, a local official said.
Renk County is located within the Nile-Sobat livelihood zone. Most of the land in this zone is low lying and contains high clay content that makes it susceptible to flooding.
Khor Asher stream that traverses Renk County has its source in Ethiopian highlands and drains in River Nile. The stream is seasonal in nature and bulges with water during the rainy season.
Renk County Commissioner Kak Padiet Kak told Radio Tamazuj that the road is inaccessible and there are fears that the prices of goods and services will rise in Paloch Town of Melut County if there is no urgent intervention.
“Khor Asher steam floodwaters have washed away the road linking Renk and Paloch in the southern part of Renk town. So this is forcing citizens to cross on foot, while some people use boats to cross. Dozens of trucks loaded with fuel and goods headed to Paloch got stuck,” Kak said.
He, however, said the county authorities and the oil companies are working to repair the road which he described as strategic to the people of Renk and Melut counties.
Meanwhile, the county commissioner warned of the seriousness of the situation after reports about the flow of large quantities of water through the Bouth Dam in Al-Tadamoun Locality in Sudan’s Blue Nile State, urging the population to be cautious.
“Administrative offices and some organizations have started to conduct a needs assement for the affected citizens and identify urgent humanitarian needs. The Red Cross has begun to distribute aid to a number of families affected by the Khor Asher flood,” he said.