SOUTH SUDAN / NZARA WILDFIRE

A wildfire has ravaged an area of approximately five square miles in Nzara in Western Equatoria State of South Sudan, destroying tukuls and livelihoods, killing one person and leaving hundreds homeless. UNMISS

• Categories: News & Features / News Stories / Unifeed
• Video Length: 00:02:16
• Production Date: 25 February 2020
• Asset Language: English
• Corporate Name: UNITED NATIONS MISSION IN SOUTH SUDAN – UNMISS
• Subject Topical: NATURAL DISASTERS; PEACE AND SECURITY
• Geographic Subject: SOUTH SUDAN
• MAMS Id: 2535236
• Parent Id: 2535236
• Alternate Title: unifeed200225a

Description

STORY: SOUTH SUDAN / NZARA WILDFIRE
TRT: 2:16
SOURCE: UNMISS
RESTRICTIONS: NONE
LANGUAGES: ENGLISH /NATS

DATELINE: 25 FEBRUARY 2020, NZARA, SOUTH SUDAN

1. Various shots, burnt tukuls.
2. SOUNDBITE (English) Fatina Thomas, Resident of Nzara:
“We are just staying outside, we have only groundnuts [to eat]. Everything has [been] burnt, we are just outside [our destroyed home].”
3. Various shots, of displaced people
4. SOUNDBITE (English) Stella Folasade Abayomi, UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer:
“Many of the community members have been displaced. Many people don’t have homes, they have moved away. Many have reported lost properties and of course livelihoods because people around here are farmers. Farms have been burned, they have lost also food items in their granaries. So, from what we see, I think we see a need, urgent need for humanitarian intervention to support the people here in terms of provision of temporary shelter, tents, food and of course non-food items.”
5. Various shots, burnt tukuls

Storyline

A wildfire has ravaged an area of approximately five square miles in Nzara in Western Equatoria State of South Sudan, destroying tukuls and livelihoods, killing one person and leaving hundreds homeless.

The United Nations Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) has visited the area to assess the needs of the residents’ needs.

Fatina is one of the victims of the fire.

SOUNDBITE (English) Fatina Thomas, Resident of Nzara:
“We are just staying outside. we have only groundnuts [to eat]. Everything has [been] burnt, we are just outside [our destroyed home].”

An UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer in Yambio says that the effect of the fire is devastating. SOUNDBITE (English) Stella Folasade Abayomi, UNMISS Civil Affairs Officer:
“Many of the community members have been displaced. Many people don’t have homes, they have moved away. Many have reported lost properties and of course livelihoods because people around here are farmers. Farms have been burned they have lost also food items in their granaries. So, from what we see, I think we see a need urgent need for humanitarian intervention to support the people here in terms of provision of temporary shelter, tents, food and of course non-food items.”

For the residents of Nzara, the fire represents an untimely disaster as the country is moving towards peace.