The United Nations announced that around 100,000 people have been displaced by floods in South Sudan in recent weeks, warning that this figure could rise fourfold by the end of the year.
Marie-Hélène Verney, UNHCR’s representative in South Sudan, said at a press conference in Geneva: “Over the past four to six weeks, we have observed that entire areas, particularly in Jonglei, Upper Nile, and Unity States, have been submerged by water.”
According to a UNHCR statement, the floods have already displaced about 100,000 people.
Verney added: “If this pace continues, we expect that more than one million people will be affected in the coming months, including 400,000 displaced persons.”
The agency projected that this figure could be exceeded by the end of the year, noting that flood peaks usually occur in September and October.
Verney stressed that “the consequences of the floods are catastrophic,” pointing out that “farmers across entire counties are witnessing their farmlands completely submerged.”
Nevertheless, she warned that UNHCR’s humanitarian response is insufficient due to funding shortages.
The international aid sector has been heavily disrupted since the return of U.S. President Donald Trump to power, with his decision to freeze most foreign aid. Other countries have also cut their development budgets, according to international organizations.
As of July 31, UNHCR had received only one-third of the nearly $300 million it had requested to support its operations in South Sudan—one of the world’s poorest countries, which this year is also experiencing growing political instability.
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