Drought destroys crops and raises famine fears in Lakes State
By the AFREEQUE newsroom, based on Radio Tamazuj
Authorities in Lakes State, South Sudan, have declared a state of disaster after drought destroyed some crops and raised fears of severe food shortages. Acting Governor Riny Tueny Mabor urged families to build up reserves, while Information Minister William Koji Kerjok called for urgent intervention by donors, reports Radio Tamazuj.
The government of Lakes State, South Sudan, has declared a state of disaster after drought destroyed crops and raised fears of severe food shortages in the coming months. State officials announced the measure at a meeting with humanitarian partners, reports Radio Tamazuj.
Acting Governor Riny Tueny Mabor urged residents to build up household reserves, saying they could not rely entirely on outside assistance. The state’s Information Minister, William Koji Kerjok, in turn urged donors and humanitarian agencies to intervene urgently. He warned that the situation could develop into famine and that residents were already facing shortages of water and food.
The declaration follows fears of famine linked to poor rainfall, reported in South Sudan on 17 October in an earlier report on the harvest.
