JUBA: Unprecedented flooding caused by heavy rains has affected nearly 200,000 people in northeast South Sudan, the UN refugee agency said Friday. Situated in the Upper Nile region, the affected area is home to more than 150,000 refugees from Sudan, the UN High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR) said in a statement.

The UN agency said floodwaters have submerged major roads, making access to the refugee camps difficult and leading to the closure of schools.

The floods have also impacted access to public services, including hospitals and damaged sanitation facilities, increasing health risks. “We remain concerned that the flooding may increase the risks and spread of diseases.

South Sudan was recently declared cholera free last year with the fears that the deadly disease could make a comeback,” UNHCR said.

South Sudan’s northeast region is prone to floods, but the latest devastation is caused by heavy rains after rivers flowing from highlands in neighboring Ethiopia burst their banks.

UNCHR said the affected population is in dire need of humanitarian assistance as people have fled their homes, carrying along with their belongings, and are gathering together on little islands of dry ground.

(Agencies)