Mayom County flood victims recount challenges from flooding
By Correspondent
More than 40,000 residents are currently facing the threat of floods and a humanitarian crisis following an overflow of water from Warrap State to three payams including Puk, Rialthiang and Rihah in Mayom County in Unity State.
The floods have caused devastating effects to people and destroyed crops.
The City Review spoke to several victims and residents in Mayom County over the weekend.
According to one of the affected locals, Jany Gatluak, the community has faced serious challenges from the ongoing rains, with crops and livestock facing the biggest brunt.
“Our crops and livestock have been affected by the floods. More than 500 farmers are counting losses, and 46,000 residents currently are facing the challenge of the rising waters. We have complained about these challenges so many times,” he said, and added:
“We were forced to leave the Puk, Rialthiang and Rihah payam within areas of Mayom County. The residents are now sheltering at the Ruthnyaibol payam,” said Gatluak.
The current flood waters have September and in October spread across the three payams, exacerbated by the heavy rains.
“We need enough excavators to construct the dykes, and control the floods,” he said.
Nyaguini Kiel Gatjiak, another Flood victim who has five children, says the floods forcefully evicted her and her five children from their house in dead of the night.
“All our homes were destroyed by heavy floods and we lost property,” Gatjiak says.
He appealed to the government of Unity State, the national government as well as non-governmental organizations to provide assistance to the flood victims.
The residents have extended their voice to the humanitarian organizations, the state government, and the national government to assist them with non-food items, mosquito nets and medicine.
Luke Chierye, the Commissioner of Mayom County, while speaking to Radio Tamazuj over the weekend confirmed that the 46,000 individuals were displaced by heavy floods last weeks and their situation had worsened since the beginning of October, with the victims needed urgent assistance from government and national NGOs.
He narrated the dire situation facing farmers, whose crops had been damaged and farm lands affected by the raging waters. Further, the commissioner explained that they had conducted several meetings with the Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (RRC) and some NGOs to try and address the situation.
