South Sudan Floods Affect Nearly One Million People
Sawako Utsumi and Sawako Uchida
Modern Tokyo Times
Floods in South Sudan have affected at least 900,000 people. Hence, many convulsions, including rising waters, are causing the crisis to spiral in a nation blighted by poverty and ethnic tensions.
In Pibor, over 110,000 have no homes to return to.
UN News reports, “The World Health Organization (WHO) is working with authorities and partners in South Sudan as the country faces some of the worst flooding in decades, affecting 42 out of 78 counties and impacting some 890,000 people.”
Floods have decimated 58 healthcare facilities that are submerged by water. Another 90 healthcare facilities are currently inaccessible.
The BBC reports, “In May, the government alerted the international community to the risk of exceptional floods that were expected to hit the country in the subsequent months.”
The World Health Organization says, “The floods have exacerbated an already dire humanitarian situation. South Sudan is currently hosting almost 800,000 refugees and returnees who have fled armed conflict in neighboring Sudan. In Renk County, in the country’s northern Upper Nile State, through which 60% of refugees and returnees enter South Sudan, two suspected cholera cases have been detected. Malaria cases are on the rise, with more than 120,000 cases and 31 suspected deaths reported as of 29 September 2024. In a period of five weeks, 55 snake bite incidents have been reported.”
The U.S. Department of State press release said, “Nearly thirteen years after declaring its independence, South Sudan remains a precariously fragile state beset by insecurity and poverty. The nation’s leaders continually fail to exhibit the political will necessary to create the conditions for sustainable peace, democratic governance, the rule of law, and prosperity for the South Sudanese people….Widespread corruption perpetuates the suffering and, directly and indirectly, supports conflict, thereby undermining the progress South Sudanese envisioned when they declared statehood…”
Accordingly, the people of South Sudan already face an uphill struggle. Hence, the horrendous floods and the ongoing convulsions entail a dire situation.
https://www.state.gov/promoting-accountability-for-corruption-that-fuels-south-sudans-conflict
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