South Sudan
Flood, 16 May 2022
| Allocation | $14,990,010 |
|---|---|
| Emergency type | Flood |
| Window | Rapid Response |
| Recipient UN Agencies | FAO, IOM, UNFPA, UNHCR, UNICEF, WFP, WHO |
| Group(s) of people targeted | Host communities, Refugees, Returnees, Internally displaced persons, Other affected persons |
| People reached | 301,649 |
| Status | Report Available |
| Due dates | | |
| Allocation code | 22-RR-SSD-52855 |
| Title | South Sudan RR Application May 2022 (Early action for floods) |
Overview of the humanitarian situation
Communities across South Sudan have been suffering from the effects of severe floods in three consecutive years. Typically, flooding in South Sudan fluctuates, with peaks seen during the wet season and flood waters receding up until April and May each year. However, according to analysis by the Centre for Humanitarian Data, as of the end of April, standing water levels were well above those recorded at the end of the 2021 dry season, which were extraordinarily high at the time, creating a situation in which even limited additional rain or water inflow could result in flooding and humanitarian suffering at or beyond the levels seen the year prior. Without mitigatory measures, an additional flood shock during the 2022 rainy season was projected to further aggravate vulnerability and humanitarian needs, particularly in recently flooded areas surrounding the Sudd wetlands, by compounding existing public health challenges, including outbreaks of Cholera and Hepatitis E, resulting in additional displacement, amplifying protection issues, and exacerbating an already dire food and nutrition situation. In Unity State, more than 320,000 people faced a high risk of flooding. Although some protective infrastructure was in place, especially around the Bentiu camp for internally displaced people (a former 'Protection of Civilians' site) and informal displacement sites in Bentiu town, without proper maintenance and reinforcement, additional dyke breaches were expected, which would have forced people to relocate to increasingly crowded areas at higher grounds, including the Bentiu IDP camp, where approximately 107,000 people were already located.
CERF-funded assistance
Instead of waiting for projected floods to compound vulnerable people’s needs during the 2022 rainy season, by allocating $15 million, CERF took early action to mitigate the impacts of projected floods. Focusing on the Bentiu camp for internally displaced people and surrounding areas in Unity State, which were among the areas most exposed to severe flooding, the allocation from CERF was designed to prevent further displacement, mitigate the risk of a widespread public health emergency and reduce protection risks, among other lifesaving aims. The funding enabled UN agencies and partners to mitigate and respond to the flood-related lifesaving needs of 301.649 people, including 89,857 women, 91,954 men, 60,253 girls, 59,585 boys, and 37,383 people with disabilities in the Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Nutrition, Agriculture, Camp Management, Shelter, Health and Protection sectors. This allocation was complemented by a $4 million early action allocation from the South Sudan Humanitarian Fund.
CERFs Strategic Added Value
The CERF allocation led to a fast delivery of assistance to beneficiaries, for example allowing for a timely distribution of WASH and Shelter items, including ahead of the rainy season. CERF also helped respond to time-critical needs such as the construction of dikes and enabling the response to disease outbreaks. CERF improved resource mobilization from other sources such as FCDO or the European Union. CERF improved coordination through the formation of a high-level special task force and the creation of a monitoring dashboard.