The Council of Ministers decided to declare South Sudan a disaster stricken area after the minister for Cabinet Affairs presented a report on the floods that are affecting some 150 thousand people.
Government spokesperson Michael Makuei told journalists at the end of Friday’s ordinary Cabinet meeting that Warrap, Northern Bahr El Ghazal, Jonglei, Unity, Upper Nile and Lakes states plus Abyei are affected by floods.
He said the ministers for Foreign Affairs, Information and Humanitarian Affairs will declare South Sudan a disaster stricken area and launch an international appeal on Saturday through a press conference.
Mr Makuei said the worst stricken areas are Twic East in Jonglei State, Thiet in Warrap, Rumbek North in Lakes State and Abyei.
He added that the Disaster Management Committee visited the flooded areas to assess needs and distributed some food, medicines and other items.
Mr Makuei disclosed that the Cabinet also decided to investigate the root causes for the floods since they should be subsiding instead of worsening.
He added that the Cabinet also passed with observations the Civil Registry Bill.
President Salva Kiir Mayardit chaired ‘the shortest Council of Ministers so far’ in the words of Mr Makuei.