South Sudan declares state of emergency in flood-hit areas

The government of South Sudan has declared a state of emergency in flood-hit areas following weeks of heavy rain.

President Salva Kiir said the state of emergency covers 30 counties in Bahr El Ghazal, Upper Nile and Equatoria regions.

Mr Kiir's order made no mention of measures to be taken to assist people affected by floods but urged the government and humanitarian organisations to help people in need.

Nearly one million people in South Sudan have been affected by heavy flooding, the UN Office for Coordination for Humanitarian Affairs (Ocha) said last week. 

Severe floods had devastated large areas of the country since July, submerging entire communities and forced hundreds of thousands from their homes, it said.

An estimated 908,000 people have reportedly been affected.