South Sudan devastated after the fourth consecutive year of unprecedented floods: climate changes and migration increases

ROME – In South Sudan, persistent exceptional rains and floods have hit for the fourth year in a row. The threat of a worsening of the situation now looms, due to the acceleration of the climate crisis. Two-thirds of the country is currently affected by the floods, which have affected over 900,000 people. The waters swept away homes and livestock, forced thousands of people to flee and flooded large agricultural areas, worsening an already serious food emergency. Wells and latrines have been submerged, contaminating groundwater and increasing the risk of disease outbreak.

A city has become an island. Bentiu, the capital of the state of Unity, has become an island surrounded by water due to the floods. All roads in and out are impassable, and humanitarian aid can reach the 460,000 people already displaced by the combination of floods and conflicts via the airstrip and boats alone. The camps for internally displaced people are currently located below the water line, protected only by dams (large barriers of compacted earth) built by the United Nations, the government and the inhabitants themselves. With 4.6 million forcibly displaced people, South Sudan has the highest percentage of its displaced population (40%) of any other African country. Since the date of independence from Sudan (2011), presidential elections have not yet been called. It has gone ahead with constantly broken peace agreements and some attempts by coalition governments that have only increased tensions between rival militias and fueled a war economy, generating instability and violence.

We work 24 hours a day with pumps, buckets, diggers. All to keep water at bay and prevent the dams from collapsing. Meanwhile, the need for food, shelter, water and sanitation is growing, because the existing stocks of basic products are running out. With the dramatic worsening of the climate crisis, extreme weather events are testing the resilience of displaced communities affected by repeated disasters. L’UNHCR is strengthening its support for vulnerable populations in hard-to-reach areas of South Sudan through mobile response teams. However, many roads are inaccessible and alternative means of transport are scarce.

Food rations are not enough for 75,000 people. In Maban, in the Upper Nile state, trucks carrying food and other basic necessities cannot reach the Doro refugee camp because the roads are blocked by water. This means that October rations will not be able to reach the 75,000 Sudanese refugees living in the camp. The trucks were stuck on the roads for weeks last month. The food rations were transported by air, but there are not enough funds to repeat the operation, which leads to starvation for many people.

Widespread intercommunal violence. While the South Sudanese refugee crisis remains the most serious in all of Africa, with more than 2.3 million South Sudanese forced to flee to neighboring countries, an estimated 2.2 million people are internally displaced. , which is also home to over 340,000 refugees. Torn by civil war for most of its short history, South Sudan is plagued by widespread intercommunal violence, the devastating effects of climate change, and severe food insecurity affecting 60% of a population of 11 million. Food prices have skyrocketed and the currency has been devalued, exacerbating a long-lasting humanitarian crisis.

It is the least funded humanitarian crisis. South Sudan is one of UNHCR’s least funded crises, having received less than half of the US $ 214.8 million needed this year. Underfunding prevents UNHCR from stepping up support for IDPs, including responding to floods and mitigating its effects. Without sufficient funds, UNHCR prioritizes life-saving support. People who have fled their homes need shelter, blankets, plastic sheeting, nets, water containers, kitchen utensils and hygiene and sanitary kits. It is also vital to continue support for peace building projects and community-based interventions aimed at protecting children and reducing gender-based violence.

The changing climate fuels forced migration. On a global level, the climate emergency is increasingly aggravating the phenomenon of forced migration and making the lives of people already uprooted even more difficult. Those most affected are those with the least responsibility for global warming. Communities with few resources or adaptability suffer the worst consequences of an inhospitable environment. There is little time left for the countries most vulnerable to the climate, which are also home to most of the displaced.