IRNA Report: [Ayod County, Jonglei State] [7- 17 August 2020] This IRNA Report is a product of Inter-Agency Assessment mission conducted and information compiled based on the inputs provided by partners on the ground including; government authorities, affected communities/IDPs and agencies. SITUATION OVERVIEW. Late July 2020, heavy rains severely hit Greater Ayod County of Jonglei State, leading to expansive heavy flooding and a colossal displacement of many residents in different parts of Ayod County. From 7th to 17th August 2020, an Inter-Agency Assessment Mission led by Christian Mission for Development (CMD) was jointly conducted by agencies present in the area that includes (CMD, CRS, HRSS, MEDAIR, EDA, SAADO, PASS, ALSI, UNCDR, INTERSOS and ROSS representing the authorities. CMD is an UNOCHA appointed site focal point for Ayod County. The information collected was based on direct interviews with affected community members, IDPs, local Chiefs, observations, local authority representatives, and key informants’ interviews in Ayod County’s 8 Payams (Pajiek, Korwai, Kuachdeng, Ayod Town, Padek, Wau, Mogok and Pagil) through Focused Group Discussion (FGD). Based on observations of assessment team most of the displaced persons (IDPs) have moved to the higher grounds while some settled in Eastern Canal (Ayod Town and surroundings). With the prolonged heavy rains and Nile River burst its banks sweeping away thousands of homes and leaving many already severely vulnerable communities displaced. In addition, the population is exposed waterborne diseases, hunger, food shortages and many cases of snake bikes (so far 27 snake bikes recorded) since the onset of flooding. And Livestock are dying in big numbers. The situation requires immediate need for humanitarian action to provide lifesaving assistance to the mentioned affected persons: e.g Emergency NFIs and Livelihoods kits (i.e. blankets, mosquito nets, sleeping mats, cooking sets, plastic sheets, Fishing, animals’ drugs, farming implements and fishing gears). WASH to provide (i.e. clean water, hygiene and sanitation services), protection assistance to the IDPs population with specific needs; targeting the most vulnerable women, children and elderly groups. GBV service is essential in Ayod, women, girls, young boys and elderly are exposed to many forms of violations including sexual exploitation and abuse, domestic violence, and illegal and exploitative tasks (As men force harsh labor on women, girls and young children, once there’s a situation of displacement). Health and Nutrition needs have increased and there’s needs for scale up and replenishing stock. Forced and early marriages coupled with related consequences of unwanted pregnancies and maternal mortality is rife in the area. In the FGDs with the displaced persons representatives, it emerged that there is fear over security as possible attacks could be motivated by the bushy areas around where they are settled, creating hideout places for offenders. Aims for conducting joint assessment The main objectives of this assessment was to assess the level of flood damage in Ayod County of Jonglei State, and to provide recommendations on possible humanitarian response as per clusters’ capacity. Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: [Jonglei State – Ayod County], [7-17/08/2020] |2 Specific objectives of the assessment; To assist the team identify the damage caused by the floods in terms of property loss, destruction of homes, Health, Nutrition, WASH, food security, shelter/ NFIs and Protection concerns of the affected families • For the team to know the exact number of HHs affected. • For the team to identify the kind of humanitarian response needed Site overview Location map Part of crops covered under water with the heavy rain ongoing. Most small villagers/ farmers have been displaced by the heavy rains with most crops destroyed. (Inset). A family preparing to move to safer grounds as water swells and fills their compound, displacing them . Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment 2 http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: [Jonglei State – Ayod County], [7-17/08/2020] |3 Drivers and underlying factors The most recent floods in Ayod County from the start was caused by fluvial floods but now heavy rains and River Nile breaking its bank is the most cause of the current surge of water. The continuation of the rains is actually the threat for more displacements of the population. Continued destruction of livelihoods, health, nutrition, education and WASH infrastructure is of great concern. Scope of crisis and humanitarian profile. The flooding occurrences is not only happening in Ayod County alone but Greater Jonglei State, leaving several villages devastated due to continuous heavy rainfalls and the pluvial and fluvial of River Nile water; some of the villages that are reported to be badly hit by the floods include; (Buot, Mhaar, Gorwai, Nyanepal, Wai, Padek, Kharmun, Jiech, Kandak, Mogok, Ayod Town, Kuachdeng, Kotdalok, Wechdeng, Wechdieng, Pagil, Normanyang, Haat, Wan-Machar, Menime, Keer and Nyawit) and the surrounding villages. The situation has worsened as the long rain intensely increased from the month of July and worsened in august and still ongoing. It is early known the flooding events in Ayod County in this are profoundly influenced by heavy rains. Displaced population: Most of the population has been left without shelters, no access to safe drinking water and health service in the new settlement areas with concentrated (Ayod town, Gorwai, Buot, Mhaar, Padek, Nyanapal, Wai, Kharmun, Jiech, Kandak, Haat, Menime, Mogok Centre, Pagil, Wechdeng, Kuachdeng Centre, Wanmachar and Normanyang) and exposed to ground dangerous animals such as snake and mosquito bites and exposed to threat of insecurity as the River Nile that historically provide hideout grounds to breeding criminal groups. Estimated 9,588 HHs totaling to 57,529 individuals are the current most affected with females’ population comprising of over 65% (children and women are badly affected). The table below summarizes statistics of estimated displaced populations with most moving to relatives’ higher grounds perceived to be safer and exerting pressure in sharing basic services with the hosts communities. Geographical areas visited Pajiek Payam: N08’450’37.104 E31’36;12.096 Kuachdeng Payam: N08’04’50’14 E031’11’4679 Ayod Payam: N-08007’57” E-031024’20’’ Padek Payam: N-08048’34.38” E-031008’25.88’’ Wau Payam: N-08015’18.64” E-031008’17.02’’ Mogok Payam: N31’450’37’104 E31’36’12’096 Pagil Payam: N008’424289 E031’16118 Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment 3 http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: [Jonglei State – Ayod County], [7-17/08/2020] |4 Below are the most affected IDPs population figures in greater Ayod County Payam Location Host population IDPs Source Notes Ayod Town Ayod Town and Canal 7,160 5,740 NGOs, ROSS & community Pajiek Gorwai, Buot and Mhaar 28,780 10,340 NGOs, ROSS & community Kuachdeng Kuachdeng Centre, 4,792 4,515 NGOs, ROSS & community Kotdalok & Dor Padek Padek Centre, Wan, 7,617 8,925 NGOs, ROSS & community Duadeng & Bajack Wau Jiech, Wai, Nyanepal & 24,368 9,052 NGOs, ROSS & community Kharmun Mogok Mogok centre, Kandak 8,125 7,187 NGOs, ROSS & community and Panyang Korwai Haat, Gaar and Riang 4,200 3,000 NGOs, ROSS & community Pagil centre, Wechdeng, 14,180 8,770 NGOs, ROSS & community Menime, Normanyang & Pagil Wechdieng Sector covered during the 10 days (7th to 17th August 2020) assessment across Ayod County. • Education • CCCM • FSL • Health • NFIs and Emergency shelter • Nutrition • Protection • Water, Sanitation and Hygiene Key response priorities Education • Key findings • Schools are currently closed since the onset of COVID-19 pandemic. • Some schools are damaged by water and children for example Padek and other school’s structures collapsed, and this will force some learners to be learning under tree after water subsided later and communities return to their residential areas. • Latrines in most schools have been destroyed and covered under flood water. • Coping mechanism are likely to be very dangerous in this season of flooding as the option is narrowed to move to Jonglei canal where there’s no infrastructure for health facility, and population Inter-Agency Rapid Needs Assessment 4 http://southsudan.humanitarianresponse.info/ IRNA Report: [Jonglei State – Ayod County], [7-17/08/2020] |5 are exposed to a lot of disease outbreaks. Food Security and Livelihoods Key findings • Low yield expected since crops at differing levels have been destroyed. • Communities in Ayod largely dependent on sorghum crop for subsistence and sale of surplus harvest; food shortage will change the trends with minimal or no harvest expected. • Grounds for herding have been occupied making cattle herding difficult with the high waters and wasted pasture. • The portion of displaced community is currently faced with hunger due to lack of food items and badly exposed to harsh weather events such as heavy rainfalls, cold, sunlight and wind due to lack of shelters in the new settlements. • The flood continues to worsen the already deteriorating livestock situation characterized by death and distress of cattle from diseases outbreaks. Previous interventions to provide services related to emergency livestock vaccination and treatment have been limited in coverage furthered by the floods and new outbreaks. • The migrating livestock will be vulnerable to impacts of cold, heavy rainfalls, disease and attack by wild animals because cattle in this community are traditionally used to be kept inside warm shelters such as huts in the rainy seasons. Health Key findings • As flooding keeps rising, health situations keep deteriorating putting the lives of both the host and IDPs at risk. • High risk of contraction of both communicable and non-communicable diseases with limited shelters, insecticides treated mosquito nets at the IDP sites. • Cut off of most people by flooding since many people are displaced from their original homes to far IDP sites far from the health facilities. • Pregnant women and children are cut off from accessing ANC and EPI services respectively.