Refugees expected to reach 250,000 in Upper Nile

The food security coordinator for Doro, Al Jamam and Jalhak camps in Upper Nile state, South Sudan has told Radio Dabanga that the number of refugees from Blue Nile state is expected to reach 250,000. Al Simeo Adlan, said at Doro camp, 31,000 refugees had arrived from Kurmuk in Blue Nile. In Al Jamam camp 40,000 had arrived from Al Bao locality. He said 8,000 were living in Jalhak camp, having arrived from the Al Tadamon area of Blue Nile. Adlan described the situation as ‘miserable and hopeless’ saying there was a severe lack of humanitarian aid available. He appealed to the international community to act urgently to save the tens of thousands of refugees at risk of starvation. Sila Musa Kudji, humanitarian coordinator at Doro camp said in an interview with Radio Dabanga that 70 children had recently died from malnutrition. Dozens of pregnant women also died from malnutrition and anaemia as a result of having to walk long distances for days to escape bombing and find shelter. Kudji said 31,000 refugees were exposed to the elements living under trees without shelter as they had not received tents or tarpaulin. He described the nutritional status of the refugees as ‘famine’, as the little aid they had was not reaching nearly enough people, and there was also an acute shortage of water.