By Charles K Mark
Heavy rainfall on Saturday night caused flash floods in Juba’s lowlands, damaging homes.
With some buildings collapsing, Hai Referendum, Gabat, Hai Kuwait, Gurei, Mia Saba, and other lowlands are the most affected.
National Police Spokesperson, Maj. Gen. Daniel Justin Boulo, told No. 1 Citizen Daily Newspaper on the phone yesterday that areas of Gabat and Hai Referendum suburbs, among others, are the most affected by the floods.
“We are seeing Gabat and then Hai Referendum to get a report, but the full report will likely come out tomorrow (today Monday),” he said.
Justin confirmed no reports of any emergencies arising from the disastrous flash floods reaching his desk.
Last week, the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, with a strong warning, appealed for early precautions to be taken towards residents living near the Nile River in South Sudan.
The Ministry warned of potential dangers from severe looming floods likely to be driven by the higher water levels of Lake Victoria in Uganda.
Meanwhile, from the source (Lake Victoria), Uganda alerted that it plans to release excess water that has reached its highest level in recorded history.
If Uganda releases between 2,400 and 2,600 cubic meters of water per second, it will automatically cause an overflow that will bring about flash flooding downstream of the Nile in South Sudan.
With an anticipated increase in rain, floods will cause displacement in communities, damage essential services, and trigger outbreaks of waterborne diseases.
According to Engineer Charles Kaboji, Director of Hydrology at the Ministry of Water Resources and Irrigation, South Sudan will experience major catastrophic challenges around Nimule, Juba’s Nile shores, Mangalla (Central Equatoria State), and downstream states including Jonglei, Unity, Lakes, and Upper Nile.