Lafon County appeals for urgent humanitarian assistance to rescue floods victims

By the Lafon County Authority,

Lafon County

Eastern Eastern Equatoria State.

Sep 27, 2020(Nyamilepedia) — We, the local Authority of Lafon County, are hereby issuing this Press statement about the floods after receiving numerous reports from the various Payams indicating serious impact on the farms, as you can see in the pictures.  We released this statement so that the Government of South Sudan and NGOs should know that Lafon County is decimated by the floods that threaten human life in the County.  

The floods are a phenomenal disaster beyond the control of the local Authority in the County. 

The Lafon County is always prone to floods whenever we witness heavy rainfall like this year because of the flat plain nature of the land.  

As the local Authority and the indigenous people, we study why Lafon County suffers as a result of flooding year in year out. We came to the conclusion that three (3) seasonal rivers are the ones cause of the pain namely;  Atondi river,  Chol river and Gila river.   During rainy seasons each river has inlets that receive too much water. For example Atondi river overflows because it gets too much water from Lopit Hill which destroys the crops and shelters.  

The water from Kudo Hill flows into the Chol river that also contributes to the suffering of the Lafon County people. Keneti river on the other hand destroys everything on the side of Pacidi Payam and goes upto Kurumi Payam. The local Authority of Lafon County asks the government of South Sudan, humanitarian Agencies and NGOs to come and rescue the Lafon people from such threats as water borne diseases, livestock diseases, hunger, malnutrition and many others. 

We appeal to humanitarian Agencies to come and assess the situation and also put more attention to the people on the ground.  Again, for a long term solution,  Lafon County needs a proper gabion (Adira) tool, so that the rivers can be diverted.  For example,  Gila river could be directed to Atondi river through Wangpuoyo then after that Atondi river should be dug deeper with a canal from Yakel like what the Lafon people used to do before and redirect it to Nywere .  

Also the Chol river could be dug deeper and directed to Kut. If the government of South Sudan and NGOs could help the Lafon people with tractors and training on how to dig canals and divert the water, the Lafon problem would have been sorted out once and for all. 

For more information or comments can be reached via electronic 

benjaminukongo@gmail.com 

Benjamin Unyang Ukongo

Secretary General Lafon County Youth Union ( LCYU)

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