By William Madouk
Flooding nightmare in Jebel Lado has deepened, forcing thousands of residents to abandon their homes and seek shelter on higher ground.
Families were spotted rowing boats packed with their belongings as they desperately fled the rising floodwaters.
“We only get a piece of iron sheet and set the fire on top for cooking, while standing in the water and the children are being kept at the huts’ upper levels (elevated structures),” recounted Mrs. Lona Tabu, one of the affected residents.
On Friday, the Central Equatoria State Flood Mitigation Taskforce, led by Minister of Local Government Leon Abe Brown, visited the Gwereke area to assess the situation.
As the delegation arrived, they witnessed the dire scenes unfolding, with families seen rowing boats packed with belongings seeking a highland as nature’s fury chased them out of their homes on Joki Island.
Mrs. Lona narrated an awful situation that forced thousands to leave their home behind as they sought settlement amid an appalling humanitarian situation caused by the deluge’s nightmare.
“We left our houses after it was flooded,” she told No.1 Citizen Newspaper.
“This flood started since June, and we are being cooking tree leaves to our children for survival,” she added.
Preliminary data shows that about 543 households or an equivalent of 2,965 people are affected in Mankaro, Geri 529 people affected (100 households), Gabor 1,103 (190 households) and in Mangala Centre 635 people (115 households) were affected by floods.
Also, 385 household an equivalent to 2,070 people were affected in Jokoki, 3,318 people (553 household) in Gwereke and Bori with 4,000 people (667 household) in Lado Payam.