Unyielding Floods

Floods in South Sudan have triggered an alarm for acute food insecurity across the country, says IPC report. About 1.3 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, the deadliest hunger, exacerbated by the spread of malaria and unsafe drinking water connected to the floods. 1 million people have been affected by the floods since July 2020; Jonglei State is at the heart of the devastation. The isolated area of Old Fangak, north of Jonglei, will starve by the start of 2021. This project documents the devastation on three levels: natural disaster, food insecurity, loss of dignified living.

Floods in South Sudan have triggered an alarm for acute food insecurity across the country, says an international report (IPC). Right now, an estimated 6.4 million people in South Sudan face acute food insecurity — more than half of the country’s population. About 1.3 million children suffer from acute malnutrition, the deadliest form of hunger, exacerbated by the spread of malaria and unsafe drinking water connected to the floods. 1 million people have been affected by the floods since July; Jonglei State is at the heart of the devastation. The isolated area of Old Fangak, north of Jonglei, is cut-off by the flood water and depending on assistance delivered on a sinking airstrip. It will starve by the start of 2021. This project documents the devastation on three levels: natural disaster, food insecurity, loss of dignified living. Misery abounds. Mothers face the deep waters to bring their children to health and safety. Broken families try to stay together but hunger forces the men to stay out in the flooded grassland fishing for survival. The last shred of hope kept by the community is shown by their dogged repair of the few dikes protecting their homes. This new year all farm animals will have died from drinking dirty water and the last leftover sorghum would have already been eaten in December. Starvation is looming. Pibor county, south of the White Nile, has already been declared to be likely in famine in 2021. Without much humanitarian assistance, Fangak county will follow suit.