Thousands of flood victims in Jonglei State have appealed for support with relief food and household items after floods destroyed their livelihoods.

The displaced, mainly from Malou, Achengdiir, Leudiet and Hai Fangak areas are staying in schools and open spaces in the town of Bor.

Majority of those Radio Tamazuj has interviewed on Saturday said they have been living without clean drinking water, medicines and mosquito nets for weeks.

Rodha Amuor, who hails from Achengdiir, said more than three families share a classroom and this exposes people to coronavirus.

“I came to this school 10 days ago because my three houses collapsed in floodwaters. Since we came, we got no relief food or mosquito nets. Now, in this classroom, we are three families. We are worried of possible spread of coronavirus among us,” she said.

Dorcus Ayen said floods destroyed her home in Leudiet area. “We were surprised by the floods. River overflowed at night, washing away our goats, food items, crops and utensils. As you see, I am empty-handed. No NGO [non-governmental organization] or government official visited us since we arrived last week,” she said.

 Rebecca Achol, another displaced, said she left her house in Hai Fangak area a week ago, only to find herself by the roadside due to floods.

“My husband is a soldier and he is not with me. So, I’m the one catering for my twins. We lack shelter, food and the hospital lacks drugs,” she said.

Achol urged the government and aid agencies to urgently intervene.

The Medical Director of Bor Hospital, Dr. Bol Chaw, admitted they are running out of live-saving medicines due to the increase in malaria cases.

He revealed that more than 400 cases of malaria are reported on a daily basis at the hospital, compared to the 100 cases before the floods.

“As per now, we treat patients and give them the available drugs. But this will worsen in the coming weeks. Though we received a consignment for six months in the last two weeks, we are running out of drugs because we are overwhelmed,” Bol explained.

Mabior Atem, the Secretary-General of the state, appealed to the national government and aid agencies in the country to intervene, saying floods have overstretched state government resources.      

“We had built dykes to control river waters, but it has been raining heavily. The entire town is flooded,” he said.

Meanwhile Gabriel Deng Ajak, the Jonglei State Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) director, said the agency is engaging humanitarian organizations to support over 30,000 people.

“The residents of Bor town are affected by floods. But in our assessment, we found out that there are 10,600 displaced persons in the open and schools. They direly need shelters and food items. While there are other over 30, 000 locals whose homes were submerged but they did not move, they also need support. But this COVID-19 pandemic is slowing the response,” he added.