South Sudan's President Salva Kiir on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in different parts of the country affected by torrential flooding.

Presidential spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the state of emergency is aimed at enhancing humanitarian intervention.

“This is to ensure there is intervention from the government and humanitarian organizations to the people who have been affected by the floods,” he said.

Areas affected by the order include Lol, Aweil East, Aweil West, Gogrial, Twic, Tonj, and Abyei in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region.

Much of the greater Upper Nile region including Maban, Longechuk, Maiwut, Ulang, Nasir, Fangak, Ayod, Pigi, Akobo, Waat, Nyirol, Uror, Duk, Twic East, Bor, and Boma State have also been affected.

In the greater Equatoria region, Terekeka, Mangala, Rokon and Lafon areas have been affected.

According to the order, the emergency declaration takes effect immediately.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement last week that unusual amounts of rain have plagued large parts of South Sudan since July, placing entire communities below water and forcing hundreds of thousands of people to flee their homes.

According to the humanitarian body, nearly one million people in South Sudan have been affected, while the UN Children agency UNICEF estimates that about 490,000 of the victims are children.