Floods kill 19, affect nearly 640,000 in South Sudan: UN

Juba, Oct 4 (IANS) Widespread flooding caused by heavy rains in South Sudan has killed 19 people and affected an estimated 639,225 others across 26 counties in six states, a United Nations (UN) humanitarian agency said.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Friday (local time) said nearly 175,000 people are displaced, sheltering on higher ground in 16 counties.

"Health risks are rising, with increasing cases of malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhoea," OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report released in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

It said at least 121 health facilities have been impacted amid reports of 144 snake bites and 3,391 malnutrition cases across 11 counties, reports Xinhua news agency.

The report came a day after global charity Save the Children said that an estimated 1.4 million people in South Sudan face the threat of flooding this year, with above-average rainfall forecast for October and November.

Save the Children also reported a rise in waterborne diseases and an increase in snake bite cases, which are escalating public health concerns.

Christopher Nyamandi, country director for Save the Children in South Sudan, said the hunger crisis is deteriorating and remains underreported despite ranking among the most severe globally.

"What lies ahead for children in South Sudan could be catastrophic. The heavy rainfall has already submerged towns and is expected to continue for weeks," Nyamandi said.

He added that aid cuts disrupted the charity's operations, with its budget reduced by 3.1 million US dollars in the spring, forcing staff cuts in nutrition and child protection programs and limiting supplies.

Communities have lost farmland, livelihoods, homes, and access to schools and health facilities, it said, with 379,000 children and adults displaced by rising waters.

This convergence of crises has triggered food shortages nationwide: 7.7 million people are facing acute hunger, and 2.3 million children under five are at risk of acute malnutrition.

About 83,000 people are said to be enduring famine-like food shortages, especially in the Upper Nile region, Save the Children added.

--IANS

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