Rain is already falling in South Sudan, and that is far earlier than usual. They rainy season causes major problems for the population, who is already struggling with the consequences of a broken ceasefire.
Usually, the rainy season begins in the summer, but this year the first heavy rainfalls have already hit South Sudan. Large amounts of rainwater in a short period is catastrophic for the war-torn country, where five million people need help.
Clean drinking water is scarce and when the rain falls, it will flood waterholes and wells, thereby contaminating the water. Floods will affect the camps where refugees and internally displaced are sleeping in tents made of cloth. The camps are rapidly turning into mud puddles and when access to clean drinking water and sanitation is limited, the risk of diseases will increase.
4.500 recieved relief in Bor
At the same time, the already fragile infrastructure becomes inaccessible slush during the rainy season, which makes the distribution of relief harder for the DanChurchAid workers in the country.
“There has been massive rain falls the last 3-4 days. The biggest problem with rain is that it worsens what has been a problem the whole time; achieving humanitarian access,” says regional representative for DanChurchAid in South Sudan, Peter Bo Larsen.
DanChurchAid is struggling to get aid to the internally displaced in time, recently a successful distribution was carried out in the town of Bor in the heart of South Sudan.
Around 4.500 people received aid packages containing water-cleansing kits, water containers, blankets, kitchen sets, mosquito nets and hygiene items.
7 millions in risk of hunger
The UN estimates that more than 7 million people are in the risk of starvation, should the ngo’s fail to find a quick and sustaining solution. That is 85 percent of the population.
“When the rainy season really kicks in, it is impossible to distribute aid via the flooded roads. That is why, it is of outmost importance that relief storages in the remote areas are filled within few months. If that doesn’t happen, the consequences will be fatal,” says Peter Bo Larsen, who recently helped distribute aid in Bor.