Across much of the country, an ongoing public health crisis characterised by rising acute malnutrition, including an projected 1.65 million children, and endemic acute food insecurity means communities are highly vulnerable to another bout of flooding. Violent conflict also remains a constant threat to safety, well-being, and livelihoods, and additional flooding could worsen ongoing intergroup tensions over control of natural resources.
While piecemeal hydrological data leaves us with uncertain predictions about flood intensity and location, the potential devastation is clear. The humanitarian crisis worsened by the floods between 2019 and 2022 signals the potential consequences South Sudan could face should major floods materialize. Therefore, scaling up emergency assistance— including healthcare, food, sanitation, and emergency shelter— will be needed to avert an excess loss of life.
To support humanitarian actors, prepare for the crisis, REACH released an emergency alert bringing together various primary and secondary sources. Read the full analysis for a deeper dive into the potential impacts of major floods in South Sudan.
