Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) said Wednesday it has evacuated more than 1,000 people from the town of Old Fangak in South Sudan’s Jonglei state after a levee breach triggered catastrophic flooding over the weekend.
The international aid group, also known as Doctors Without Borders, said in a statement that the levee gave way late Friday after community volunteers spent two hours trying to repair a leak. Water quickly inundated the town, forcing residents to flee to rooftops and higher ground.
“We don’t usually move by boat at night in these areas due to safety risks, but we had to prioritize saving lives that were in imminent danger,” said Atsuhiko Ochiai, MSF’s deputy head of mission in South Sudan.
MSF teams worked with local authorities to secure commercial boats and carry out evacuations over several days. Those rescued — including many women and children — were taken to the nearby towns of Toch and Paguir, which were less affected by the flooding.
Residents and MSF staff described chaotic scenes as water levels rose.
“I saw families struggling against the rising waters, their biggest fear being the safety of their children,” said Malik Nhial Puok Nyakun, an MSF employee and Old Fangak resident. “I left with nothing except my family. Everything else is now under water.”
The area has experienced severe seasonal flooding in recent years, but locals said this is the first time a levee has failed so catastrophically. The situation is expected to worsen with continued rain.
The flooding compounds an already dire humanitarian situation. In May, MSF was forced to close its hospital in Old Fangak after it was damaged in an airstrike. The facility is now completely underwater.
MSF has operated in South Sudan since 1983, providing medical care in areas affected by conflict, flooding and displacement.