Panyagoor town, the headquarters of Twic East County in Jonglei State, has been hit by the floods, destroying livelihoods, local officials and residents said.
The deputy county executive director, Elijah Manyok Ayiei, told Radio Tamazuj Tuesday that hundreds of residents have been unable to meet their food needs after last week’s torrential rains.
“It rained for a week and the water is now stagnant in the town because of the dyke. The entire town is affected except the airstrip,” he said. “People are suffering because already were cut off from Bor since 2020 and now cattle are dying and people are migrating. Prices have also gone up.”
The local official called on the aid agencies to come to their aid as they drain the stagnant floodwaters from the town.
One Panyagoor town resident, John Deng, decried the humanitarian situation amidst the lack of services.
“The situation is not good because of the floods and cases of malaria and other water-borne diseases are very high and now in the hospital, some people just sleep on the floor,” he said.
For his part, Ruben Makeer Ajok, the county Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) coordinator, said 19,000 people are affected by the floods in Panygoor town and that aid agencies have promised to come to their aid.