Nearly 2,000 people have lost their homes and crops after floods hit parts of Pigi County of Jonglei State since last month, a local official said.
“Floodwaters have been increasing since late last month due to the overflow of the Sobat River and Jonglei Canal. Wunlith and Khorfulus Payams are the worst hit. The entire population of 3,000 people in those areas are affected. About 1,000 people have since fled to Malakal,” Nyok Malual, Commissioner of Pigi County, told Radio Tamazuj on Thursday.
The local official said residents have been left hungry as floods destroyed their livelihoods.
“Livelihoods like crops have been destroyed. People are hungry and are just staying in the open. Some of them are leaving for Malakal. As authorities, we lack resources to help them, or even evacuate those not having money,” he said.
Thab Mathiang, a youth leader, said several families whose homes were destroyed by the floods started arriving in the Upper Nile State capital, Malakal since last week, as they flee deteriorating humanitarian situations.
Meanwhile, Michael Matiok Lem, a member of the state legislative assembly representing Pigi County, decried the dire situation there and called for urgent humanitarian intervention.
“Our people lack food, medicines, and shelters. We appeal to all the well-wishers to come to our aid. There are no shelters, people just sleep in mosquito nets under trees,” he said.
Several areas in parts of the country have been experiencing floods since July, forcing thousands of people out of their homes.