Juba, SOUTH SUDAN
South Sudan's President Salva
Kiir on Tuesday declared a state of emergency in different parts of the country
affected by torrential flooding.
Presidential
spokesman Ateny Wek Ateny told Radio Tamazuj on Wednesday that the state of
emergency is aimed at enhancing humanitarian intervention.
Two boys pick their way along a flooded road in Maban county, South Sudan. |
“This is
to ensure there is intervention from the government and humanitarian
organizations to the people who have been affected by the floods,” he said.
Areas
affected by the order include Lol, Aweil East, Aweil West, Gogrial, Twic, Tonj,
and Abyei in the greater Bahr el Ghazal region.
Much of
the greater Upper Nile region including Maban, Longechuk, Maiwut, Ulang, Nasir,
Fangak, Ayod, Pigi, Akobo, Waat, Nyirol, Uror, Duk, Twic East, Bor, and Boma
State have also been affected.
President Salva Kiir |
According
to the order, the emergency declaration takes effect immediately.
The UN
Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said in a statement
last week that unusual amounts of rain have plagued large parts of South Sudan
since July, placing entire communities below water and forcing hundreds of
thousands of people to flee their homes.
According
to the humanitarian body, nearly one million people in South Sudan have been
affected, while the UN Children agency UNICEF estimates that about 490,000 of
the victims are children.
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