More than 700 families left their homes in swampy areas of shambe and moved to higher ground within Yirol East County due to cholera outbreak in the area since last month, a local official said.

Over the past two months, local authorities in Eastern Lakes State reported that at least 37 people died of cholera and other 13 cases recorded in Shambe, Adior and Malek areas near the River Nile.

Speaking to Radio Tamazuj on Friday, Yirol East County Commissioner, Mayom Chuor Malek, said about 724 families who were living in low-lying areas in Shambe decided to move to higher ground in Adior and Nyang villages, amid acute shortages of basic services.

Mayom revealed that at least 49 people died of cholera in Malek and Yirol East Counties since the outbreak of cholera in the state earlier this year.

“Yes, in fact, there is an outbreak of cholera in areas near the river in Yirol East and Malek Counties, until now the death toll increased to at least 49 people, and about 124 cases were  admitted to the hospital, but the disease is still spreading,” he said.

The local official called on international and local health organizations to intervene and control the outbreak in the worst affected areas before the rainy seasons begins.

Photo: Heavy flooding at Bentiu PoC site/ICRC