The Commissioner of Leer County in Unity State has appealed for urgent humanitarian assistance for people affected by flash floods in the area.
Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Thursday, Commissioner Stephen Taker Riek said three days of heavy rains have washed away several makeshift buildings and displaced hundreds of people into higher grounds.
The local official pointed out that three days of continuous heavy rainfall submerged into the water about 17 payams and surrounding villages.
“Our problem now in Leer County is a devastative flooding submerging the villages. It has come up again because of too much rain,” Riek said.
He described the situation as dire, calling on humanitarian agencies to urgently discuss ways of helping the people.
“All places prepared by the owners for farming are completely submerged into water. No drops are surviving. Everything is under flooding water in the villages,” he added.
He said villagers have deserted their homes and are currently sheltering in temporary housing.
Last year, torrential rains and flash floods displaced thousands of people and destroyed several homes across South Sudan.
The most affected areas were in Jonglei, Pibor, Upper Nile, Unity, Western, and Eastern Equatoria states.
According to the UN Office for Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs, last year, an estimated one million people were affected by flooding, with over 360,000 people displaced.