This archive report was first published on 31 October 2019.
On October 31, 2019, the South Sudan government declared a state of emergency in 27 flood-affected areas, citing the need for humanitarian organizations to access affected communities.
The declaration comes as the country grapples with the aftermath of heavy rains that have affected approximately 900,000 people since July, according to estimates by the French medical charity Medecins Sans Frontieres (MSF).
In the eastern region, particularly in Pibor, roads have been cut off and bridges swept away, leaving communities inaccessible. The situation is further complicated by poor sanitation, with fears of cholera and other waterborne diseases breaking out.
MSF described the conditions in Pibor as 'increasingly congested, thick with mud, with no latrines and just one functioning borehole.' The charity group also highlighted the challenges it faces in responding to medical and humanitarian needs, citing a lack of space for additional makeshift clinics and inadequate storage facilities for medicines.
South Sudan has been plagued by civil war since 2013, with the latest peace deal aimed at establishing an inclusive transitional government by November 12.
