Selangor Journal
Alain Noudehou, UN Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, and Matthew HollingWorth, the Country Director of World Food Program (WFP), wade through flood water with members of their delegation as they visit civilians that were displaced due to flood water from the broken dykes on Nile river, in Duk padiet county of Jonglei State, in South Sudan September 24, 2020. — Picture by REUTERS

Floods in Sudan put over 10mln people at risk of water-borne diseases: UN Spokesman

UNITED NATIONS, Oct 10 — More than 10 million people in Sudan risk contracting water-borne diseases following extensive damage of floods to hundreds of water sources and the collapse of several thousand latrines, China’s Xinhua news agency quoting the UN spokesman as saying Friday.

“Malaria and other vector-borne diseases are expected to rise, and Sudan’s already fragile food security situation will likely worsen due to the destruction of thousands of hectares of crops just before the harvest,” said Stephane Dujarric, spokesman for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, at the noon briefing.

“Sudan is already facing dire humanitarian needs compounded by a deteriorating economic situation. Humanitarian organisations have reached over 400,000 people to date, but low funding is hampering aid workers’ capacity. Overall, the humanitarian appeal in Sudan has received less than half of the 1.6 billion requested,” Dujarric noted.

The devastating rains that have left more than 875,000 people in need of aid and claimed more than 150 lives since July have started to subside, said Dujarric, citing figures from the UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs.

 

— Bernama

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