Flood in Jonglei state and beyond

Over 380,000 people have been affected by flooding in areas along the river Nile, Sudd wetlands and the rivers Lol and Sobat since May. Jonglei and Unity states are the worst affected. Early seasonal rains have caused rivers to overflow their dykes and banks, flooding vast areas and settlements across the top of the country, with more heavy rains and flooding expected in the coming months. Many of the flood-affected people moved to higher grounds within their county, and plan to return home once the flood waters recede. Some 100,000 people, mostly from Twic East, who were displaced by the 2020 floods, still have not returned home and are sheltering in the Bor, Mangalla IDP camps, and in Mingkaman, according to humanitarian partners (CINA). A coordinated humanitarian response scale-up in the most affected states of Jonglei, Unity, Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Warrap was initiated to respond to the increased needs of people affected and displaced by the flood waters.

An estimated 426,000 people were affected and displaced by floods in South Sudan since May 2021. People in Jonglei and Unity states, followed by Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile states have been the worst affected to date. Insecurity in Warrap State has made it difficult to respond to people’s needs there. According to initial assessments, priority needs include food assistance, emergency shelter and non-food items, water, sanitation and hygiene services and hygiene kits, health and nutrition supplies and services, protection services and dignity kits, and fishing kits for livelihood support.

More than 466,000 people have been reported to be affected by flooding in areas along the Nile and Lol rivers and Sudd marshlands since May. This reflects a 23 per cent increase in the numbers of people reported to be affected since the end of August. Jonglei, Unity, Northern Bahr El Ghazal and Upper Nile are the worst affected states.