By Staff Writer.
Bentiu town in the northern part of South Sudan is in danger of being overrun by flooding according to Unity state authorities
Unity State’s Deputy Governor, Tor Tunguar says 90 percent of the population of the state is now displaced and water levels are continuing to rise.
“We have built dykes together with the United Nations Mission in South Sudan and other UN Agencies to try and secure Bentiu but the water levels keep rising.” Said Tor.
The flooding here has now reached a level never seen before.
Schools, homes and livelihoods are washed away.
Bentiu central business district is now a fishing ground.
“Floods have come with fish, this is one advantage I have witnessed I urge aid agencies to help providing fishing equipment to the people displaced by the flooding.” Said the Deputy Governor.
The United Nations says more than 800 thousand people have now been displaced by the flooding across South Sudan.
Bentiu is one of the worst hit area by the flooding.
Water is now threatening to overrun the entire town including areas where those displaced are sheltering.
Authorities in Bentiu say for the past two months there have been no rains in this place but the water levels continue to rise and now the fear is that another rainy season will come and worsen the situation.
Rainy season begins in most parts of South Sudan in April
Experts say the high volume of water in the Blue Nile from Ethiopia is blocking water from the White Nile from joining the Nile River.
That’s what is leading to flooding in Bentiu
