Heavy rain and strong winds destroyed many houses in Akobo East County’s main market, school and residential areas on Thursday night.
The rain started at 8 pm and last for four hours destroying 47 residences, 3 latrines at the Akobo girls primary school, 12 shops, 4 butcheries and the Akobo East Trade Union office.
Acting Chairman of the Akobo East County Trade Union Gatbel Majok Ruthdel told Radio Tamazuj that the storm damaged chairs, tables, office computers and fans worth tens of thousands of South Sudanese pounds. The incident also sparked quarrels among traders as they struggled to recover iron sheets thrown and mixed far away by the strong wind.
Gatbel said the quarrels were being fueled by lack of iron sheets and timbers in the county, as traders find it difficult to get timbers and iron sheets to reconstruct destroyed buildings.
Gatdouew Pal, a displaced person resident at the IDP camp in the former World Food Program area said all their belonging including bed sheets and blankets were blown away by the strong wind accompanying the rain.
He added that he and his five member family were helped by friends and relatives with clothing on Friday morning as all their own clothing was gone.
This was the first rain of the season in Akobo East County of SPLM/A-IO controlled ‘Bieh State’.