AA / Juba / Benjamin Takpin
South Sudan is set to declare a state of national disaster following catastrophic floods that have ravaged much of the country, displacing nearly 200,000 people and causing widespread destruction of critical infrastructure, including schools and hospitals.
In an extraordinary cabinet meeting chaired by President Salva Kiir Mayardit on Thursday, the council of ministers approved the disaster declaration for flood-affected areas. Salva Kiir is expected to issue the official order soon, after approval by the Council of Ministers.
Jacob Maiju Korok, Deputy Minister of Information, Communication, Technology and Postal Services, confirmed that the floods, which occurred in July, affected more than 772,000 people in 38 counties and the administrative area of Abyei. Of these people, approximately 198,000 have been displaced.
“Floods have affected both people and animals, with significant damage to schools, hospitals and other critical infrastructure in states including Jonglei, Upper Nile, Unity, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal and Abyei,” he told reporters after the meeting.
Minister of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management Albino Akol Atak had earlier urged the cabinet to adopt the disaster declaration, which was approved unanimously. The move will enable South Sudan to mobilize resources from international donors to contribute to relief efforts.
Jacob Maiju Korok underlined the urgency of the situation. He said that while the government and humanitarian partners are already responding to the crisis, the peak of flooding is expected in November.
Devastating flooding continues to pose a serious problem in the country, where many communities are struggling to cope with the consequences of persistent rains.
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