South Sudan declares disaster in flood-affected areas

By DENG MACHOL
Associated Press

JUBA, South Sudan (AP) — South Sudan’s government has declared flood-affected parts of the country as national disaster areas and appealed for assistance. Friday’s appeal came after torrential rains in the Upper Nile and Bahr el-Ghazal regions. Information Minister Michael Makuei Lueth said the floods have displaced thousands of people and claimed hundreds of lives. Earlier this week, President Salva Kiir appealed to humanitarian partners for help. South Sudan has experienced extreme flooding over the past three years, with more than 800,000 people affected in 2021 alone.