Akol Madut Ngong
Floods have seriously affected and disconnected five counties of Northern Bahr el Ghazal State from the State capital Awiel due to climatic change and global impact.
Emmanuel Dhel Peter, the Assistant press secretary in the Office of the Governor of northern Bahr el Ghazal State said the floods have seriously disrupted the roads connectivity interlinking the counties to Awiel municipality.
He said Awiel town is now being submerged by water shockingly, and the devastating flash flood has also damaged crops, farmlands demoralizing famers.
“We are expecting that the production of crops this year will reduce because of the floods, it has seriously damaged farms especially those who are in the low lands,” he said.
Dhel Peter said the State governor has paid visits to the counties, he started from Awiel east, Awiel South, part of Awiel west and also the Awiel town the place extremely affected by the floods and he also witnessed the consequences of floods in the State.
“In that regard the governor has promised the people affected by the floods and assured them that the State government together with national Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Management will work together to deliver the necessary services to the floods affected people,” he said.
Dhel further stated that, yesterday, the government has directed the State Ministry of Roads and Bridges to at least try to dig same water canals and dyke such that the floods can at least be controlled and reduce its effect in the state.
He said the short term mitigation plan is now going on, stressing that this year’s flood magnitude is too much.
“The governor Tong Akeen Ngor has called on the humanitarian agencies which include the international NGOs and national NGOs which are assisting the people with the humanitarian aid to collaborate with the State government such that they provide assistance to the needy people who are affected by the floods in the State,” Dhel said.
According to the governor’s office the total number of displaced people by floods are not established by the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) but the number is too high, and the State is working on the number which would be revealed in some days to come.
Dhel said after the State government has established the number of those affected by the floods and being displaced then based on those result, they would save the NGOs working on the humanitarian sectors to provide some assistances to those affected.
The livestock especially those in the lowlands are also in danger, they have been evacuated to the highlands according to the governor’s office.