The United Nations says that food insecurity is high in northwest Unity State, where the town of Mayom was destroyed in fighting last month and the population displaced.
Mayom town remains under control of the government, but parts of the county were a stronghold for the opposition until its fall to an army offensive from the west in January.
OCHA, the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, yesterday released a situation report current until 10 February. It said that aid agencies making assessments in Mayom County found that Mayom town was “destroyed and virtually deserted,” as earlier reported.
“The population is displaced to neighbouring payams or other states. The conditions for civilians in these areas are reportedly extremely difficult, including with high food insecurity,” said OCHA.
UN’s estimate for total displacement is now 868,900, including an estimated 723,900 people displaced inside South Sudan and another 145,000 people who have fled to nearby countries, with the largest increase of arrivals in Ethiopia.
The health situation in the UN Tomping base improved, with mortality rates dropping below emergency thresholds, OCHA stated. But it said the situation “remained worrying.” The main reason for the improvement was a drop in the number of measles cases in the base. Elsewhere, several mobile clinics have been set up outside UN bases to provide consultations to displaced people in Bentiu, Malakal and Melut.
Local authorities reported an increase in displaced people arriving in the greater Yirol area, with close to 3,000 people reported to have arrived in the past days. Aid agencies are mobilizing to verify these figures.
UN also said that “gaps in sanitation coverage continue to be a major concern, particularly in UN Tomping, where space continues to be a problem.” The report noted that physical space is needed in order to construct sufficient numbers of latrines, adding, “Likewise, space and resources to replace filled and decommissioned latrines in sites is also key.”
Related:
Mayom: ‘Ghost town, burnt down, many bodies’ (8 Jan.)
Key humanitarian updates, 9 Feb.
Key humanitarian updates, 4 Feb.
Key humanitarian updates, 31 Jan.
Key humanitarian updates, 28 Jan.
File photo (WFP/Ahnna Gudmunds)