The Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Arafat Jamal, after meeting with flood-affected people in Jonglei and Unity States is warning of a climate emergency.
He in statement CRN got on Friday calls for further investment in disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation to avoid a repeat of flooding year after year.
“Vast areas of the country are now under water. More than 780,000 people have been affected since May, with at least 77 percent of those affected being in Jonglei, Unity and Upper Nile states, Jamal says.
He explains that “entire communities were forced to move to higher ground to escape the floodwaters. Flood-displaced people, many of whom are highly vulnerable, uprooted earlier by sub-national violence and the 2020 floods, are again now displaced”.
The Coordinator discloses that conditions are difficult, with access, insecurity and funding constraints preventing aid from reaching people in a timely manner.
“The people I met in Jonglei and Unity states are doing their upmost to stay dry and survive. However, their resilience is being tested as they deal with one shock after another”, he said.
“Disaster mitigation infrastructure such as dykes needed to be built and rehabilitated to complement emergency response efforts and prevent more people from being displaced by the floods now and in the future. Sustained humanitarian and development assistance and funding are urgently needed,” the Humanitarian Coordinator adds.
He notes that the people of South Sudan are on the frontline in the fight against climate change as they are already dealing with the consequences.
“We need to work together with affected people and local governments to rehabilitate infrastructure in flood-prone areas to help prepare communities to cope with the devastating effects of climate change. Climate adaption and action are needed right now.” The Humanitarian Coordinator stresses.