Hundreds of citizens in Ikotos County in South Sudan’s Eastern Equatoria State have immigrated to Kakuma refugee camp in neighbouring Kenya due to hunger, a local official said.

In a press statement late last week, Ikotos County Commissioner Peter Lokenge said that death tolls have increased due to deteriorating humanitarian conditions in the county.

The official said at least four people died of hunger this month. He said the county may find itself in a "disastrous situation" without intervention.

Peter criticized the national government in Juba for denying the reality experienced by the citizens in the county, saying Juba does not know the seriousness of the problem.