The United Nations Special Representative of the Secretary-General in South Sudan Nicholas Haysom has expressed concerns over the dire humanitarian situation in parts of Bentiu, Unity State due to flooding.
Haysom spoke to journalists during a press conference in UNMISS Compound in Juba on Wednesday, after he visited Bentiu on Tuesday to assess the flood situation.
“I was yesterday (Tuesday) in Bentiu witnessing firsthand the dramatic way in which the floods have affected hundreds of thousands of people’s lives. Yesterday as I traveled to Jonglei to see firsthand the impact of floods on communities as well as the work the UN family is doing to assist, I can only describe the situation as dire,” the UN chief said. “Floodwaters are not receding and hundreds of thousands of people remain displaced and in desperate need of assistance.”
Haysom warns that more than 2 million people may not have access to basic health services in the country.
“We are told that unless urgent assistance is given, more than 2 million people may not have access to basic health services, at least 277,000 acutely malnourished women and children will be at further risk, 70,000 children won’t be able to go to school, and without adequate water, sanitation and hygiene there is a potential from the outbreak of cholera or other water-borne diseases,” he added.
Haysom added more help is needed to address the situation of flooding across the country.
“A particular concern to me is the deterioration of the infrastructure, farms, and dykes. Water will still be there when the next rainy season comes. Unless we can avert this, we may not even consider evacuating people from the area. I will raise this issue as well as the situation more generally in South Sudan in my regular update to the United Nations Security Council next week,” he revealed.
The UN says it is doing its best to help the people in the affected areas.
Haysom also says funding partners have expressed an inability to close the gaps due to competing humanitarian needs among conflict-affected countries across the globe.
“However, right now, our humanitarian partners report that they simply can’t bridge the gap in the available funding and resources to reach all those in need in Bentiu. The consequences could be disastrous in terms of food insecurity, lack of healthcare, education, and the risk of water-borne diseases.
The UN says more than 800,000 people have been severely affected by the worst floods in particularly in Jonglei, Unity, and Upper Nile states.