Humanitarian action in Southern Sudan weekly bulletin, week 42, 19-25 Oct 2008

SUMMARY/HIGHLIGHTS

- GoSS says 31 people killed by floods in Maban

- Polio campaign scheduled for end October and November

- Over 2,300 DR Congo refugees in Western Equatoria State

I. CURRENT ISSUES

Floods in Maban County, Upper Nile State

Floods have affected Maban County on a serious scale during the past week. According to the government (GoSS), excessive river flow from the Ethiopian Highlands has worsened the flooding, which started in the area early last month. The GoSS reported a death toll of 31 people due to the floods.

An inter-agency assessment team involving the UN, NGOs and the Southern Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC) was deployed to the most affected areas in Maban County on 25 October. The assessment was tasked to verify and register affected people and to deliver some initial humanitarian assistance. A report containing the assessment findings is yet to be produced. However, first impressions confirm the severity of the floods.

Although exact numbers of affected people are not yet established, the magnitude of the floods is said to be similar to the flash-flooding that affected the same area in 1978, which left 7,500 households homeless. The current population of Maban is believed to be 150,000.

Most crop fields have been flooded while safe water supply, sanitation and hygiene are in a bad state. The area is only accessible by small aircraft and there are three landable airstrips namely; Dorro, Liang and Nshowa.

Urgent priority needs for the affected population are food aid, emergency shelter, medicines and water purification tablets.

Already the Ministry of Health and UNICEF delivered medical supplies on 20th October. More medical supplies (500KG) and some water purification tablets were dispatched on 22nd October. At least three NGOs were already working in the area namely; CAFOD, Relief International and Saving in Vision and they are assisting with the initial response.

At the beginning of September, 400 households were affected by floods in Maban and 311 of them received humanitarian assistance. However, interventions were interrupted by the collapse of the Jamaam Bridge along the Melut - Maban road.