Aid agency appeals to donor countries, as floods reach critical level
Two boys holding their hands as they walk in water going to a safer place in one of the affected areas (Photo credit: supplied)
Nov 15th, 2019 (SSNN)-The Save the Children Fund, commonly known as Save the Children, has expressed grave concern over the continuing devastating floods that have destroyed homes and left millions of people severely malnourished and called on donor countries to allocate financial assistance to alleviate dire humanitarian needs.
In a press statement issued on Friday, the aid agency said that, “families – many of whom were already facing extreme malnutrition – have been displaced by heavy rainfall and are now living in temporary, makeshift settlements across South Sudan.”
“Save the Children is deeply concerned for the health of more than 420,000 people, including at least 200,000 children, who have been forced to flee their homes in the extraordinary and heavy rains and flooding that have battered the country since they began in July. In total an estimated over 900,000 people – or 7% of the population of South Sudan – have been affected by the floods, which includes those displaced, those who have lost farmland and those who are cut off by floodwaters. Pibor in Jonglei country and Maban in Upper Nile county are among the worst hit, with data indicating that upstream areas received over 230 per cent of the normal amount of rainfall between September and October, with an estimated 425 mm falling compared with the average of just under 200 mm.”
Save the Children said it remains deeply concerned about the safety and well-being of thousands of minors who may have been separated from their parents.
“Save the Children is particularly concerned about children who may have become separated from their families, placing them at increased risks. In the panic to leave, many households have lost documentation including birth certificates which could prevent them from accessing vital services in the future.”
“Flooding has affected more than 30 counties in Jonglei, Upper Nile, Warrap, Northern Bahr el Ghazal, Unity, Lakes, Central and Eastern Equatoria. An estimated 60 percent of people living in affected counties already faced extreme levels of malnutrition before the rains. Life-saving assistance has been suspended in some flooded areas, with 42 nutrition centres impacted by the floods[5]. This is likely to compound the existing severe acute malnutrition faced by thousands of families, if they do not receive timely medical treatment.”
Save the Children’s Country Director in South Sudan, Rama Hansraj, said:
“The floods in South Sudan have reached crisis point and children and their families are in urgent need of support. The floods are forcing people out of their homes to higher ground, where they are now seeking shelter wherever they can find it. The communities affected are already some of the most vulnerable in the country.
Save the Children welcomes the Government of South Sudan’s declaration of the state of emergency in response to the current floods and urges the government to support this commitment by releasing funds immediately to support the response. We also call on the government of South Sudan to ensure that humanitarian access is supported so that those most at risk– in particular, children – can be urgently reached and protected.”
The international aid organization called on the international community and the region to step up humanitarian assistance for the flood victims. “Save the Children is calling on the international community to commit financial and other resources toward the response efforts to support vulnerable children and their families.”
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