Heavy Flood Displace Hundreds In Mapel Town

This article was last updated on May 27, 2022

Canada: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…
USA: Oye! Times readers Get FREE $30 to spend on Amazon, Walmart…

The flood devastation, caused by heavy rains, has forced many people to flee their homes in the western part of Mapel town, with some displaced residents moving to high ground, while others have sought refuge in churches and markets.

Reportedly, vegetable crops have been washed away by water, putting this year’s agricultural production in question. Livestock animals are also dying as a result of the floods.

Health officials in the town report increased malaria cases among children, as their families have been forced to stay in the open. Lack of food has led to them resorting to eating food of minimal nutritional value, such as leaves and roots, which is weakening the most vulnerable and leaving them more prone to illness. Exposure to mosquitoes and a lack of medical facilities are worsening the health situation.

Charles Nyiyuo Amok, one of the affected people, said Mapel has experienced such unusual rains and floods for at least 2 years now. In 2012, the town experienced floods in November, when the residents were expecting the rains to end. This year, however, there have been heavy rains since before May.

Mapel resident, Barnaba  Awer Kiir, describing the effects of the early seasonal rains, saying that crops , domestic animals, houses, latrines and other assets have been destroyed, leading to misery for the population.
“Our life is leading to  a dim situation with fear of further outbreak of diseases apart from current malaria affected the children due to living conditions  in an overcrowded population with no proper
shelters”, reported  Louis Dut Nyiyuo, who is  headman of Gorial village.

The affected families narrowly escaped the unexpected collapse of buildings constructed of heavy local unburned bricks. The crisis has led to pleas for the government and NGOs to assist affected communities with food, non- food items and medicine.

Two local Community Based Organisations (CBOs), Lulu Works Trust and Alur youth union (AYU), have conducted an assessment in the villages affected. In the course of the assessment, they witnessed massive destruction of some villages, with flood water flowing through some buildings and crops overrun by water. The two on-the-ground organizations report that they are trying to do what they can to help.