{"id":43712,"date":"2026-03-20T13:48:42","date_gmt":"2026-03-20T11:48:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/?p=43712"},"modified":"2026-03-20T14:26:51","modified_gmt":"2026-03-20T12:26:51","slug":"early-warning-failure-blamed-for-flood-devastation-in-juba","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/2026\/03\/20\/early-warning-failure-blamed-for-flood-devastation-in-juba\/","title":{"rendered":"\u00a0 Early Warning Failure Blamed for Flood Devastation in Juba"},"content":{"rendered":"

By Alan Clement<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n

A lack of timely early warning alerts ahead of heavy rains has been blamed for widespread flood damage in Juba, exposing major gaps in disaster preparedness systems.<\/p>\n

The downpour, which lasted several hours, inundated roads, disrupted businesses, and destroyed traders\u2019 goods, exposing weaknesses in South Sudan\u2019s disaster preparedness system.<\/p>\n

Environmentalist Bol Abraham Garang, speaking exclusively to No.1 Citizen Newspaper, said the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Preparedness failed to issue alerts that could have reduced the impact.<\/p>\n

\u201cWhat happened yesterday was really bad. People were not prepared for this. The Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Preparedness did not issue early warning. They should have issued early warning to the public,\u201d Bol said.<\/p>\n

He noted that responsibility for issuing early warnings lies with both the Ministry of Humanitarian Affairs and Disaster Preparedness and the Ministry of Environment, but said structural and resource challenges prevent them from delivering timely information.\u201d<\/p>\n

\u201cEven though we go and talk to them, they have their own challenges. They need equipment and modern systems to give the public the right information at the right time,\u201d he explained.<\/p>\n

South Sudan\u2019s Meteorological Department currently issues seasonal forecasts, but Bol stressed that international standards require daily or even 12\u2011hourly updates to keep citizens informed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn other countries, the public is updated every 24 hours. That helps people prepare, move property, or avoid flood\u2011prone areas,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The floods caused significant disruption in Juba\u2019s commercial areas damaging shops, destroying goods, and blocked transport routes. Bol warned that such events have cascading effects on the national economy.<\/p>\n

\u201cBusinesses have been interrupted, and most traders have lost goods. If businesses are not operating, it will affect the economy and city council revenue collection,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

South Sudan\u2019s economy, already strained by humanitarian needs and fiscal challenges, risks further setbacks if urban flooding continues unchecked. Bol also pointed to poor urban planning as a root cause of recurrent flooding.<\/p>\n

He criticized the issuance of construction permits without scientific review, which has allowed buildings to block natural waterways. \u201cIf you give land titles in waterways, you have already caused urban flood. The best thing is to revise urban planning and develop a master plan,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

He urged authorities to adopt a scientific approach to land use, drainage, and waste management. Polythene bags and other debris carried by floodwaters worsened the situation, highlighting the need for stronger waste management systems and public education.<\/p>\n

Bol argued that without proper waste management, drainage systems will remain blocked, worsening the impact of heavy rains.<\/p>\n

Across East Africa, countries such as Kenya and Uganda have invested in meteorological infrastructure and urban resilience programs, aligning with international frameworks like the Sendai Framework for Disaster Risk Reduction.<\/p>\n

Bol said South Sudan must follow suit to meet regional standards. \u201cUrban flood response requires prioritizing scientific planning, reliable drainage systems, and modernized meteorological services. Without that, Juba and other towns will remain vulnerable,\u201d he warned.<\/p>\n

Bol argued that South Sudan\u2019s institutions must modernize to meet international benchmarks, which emphasize community\u2011based early warning systems, integration of meteorological data with urban planning, and regular public communication.<\/p>\n

He urged the government to operationalize response plans and invest in infrastructure before the rainy season intensifies emphasizing that proactive measures, not ad\u2011hoc fixes, are needed.<\/p>\n

\u201cIf they plan in advance, they can solve the issues. Juba is still under the problem of town planning. Identifying waterways and directing rainwater to the river can reduce urban floods,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

\u201cWith forecasts indicating more rains in the coming months, Bol warned that without immediate reforms South Sudan risks repeated devastation, as the March 18 floods already underscored the broader national stakes<\/p>\n

Failure to modernize disaster preparedness systems could deepen humanitarian crises, undermine economic recovery, and erode public trust in institutions.<\/p>\n

Bol concluded by stressing that early warning is not a luxury but a necessity. \u201cIf people are informed, they can prepare. Without information, floods will continue to devastate lives and livelihoods,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

 <\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

By Alan Clement A lack of timely early warning alerts ahead of heavy rains has been blamed for widespread flood damage in Juba, exposing major gaps in disaster preparedness systems. The downpour, which lasted several hours, inundated roads, disrupted businesses, and destroyed traders\u2019 goods, exposing weaknesses in South Sudan\u2019s disaster[Read More…]<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":43727,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[115,79],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-43712","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-juba","category-news"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/03\/roadds.jpg","_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43712","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/6"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=43712"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43712\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":43713,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/43712\/revisions\/43713"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/43727"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=43712"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=43712"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.onecitizendaily.com\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=43712"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}