The sixth year of flooding in South Sudan combined with aid cuts is exacerbating one of the world’s worst hunger crises with newly arrived refugees fleeing conflict in Sudan resorting to foraging for food and eating leaves to survive, Save the Children said.
South Sudan hosts close to 600,000 refugees and asylum seekers with Sudan as the primary country of origin accounting for 95% of refugees, followed by DRC (3%), and Ethiopia (1%). Most refugees, (63%) reside in refugee camps across the country, 12% live in rural areas while 25% live in urban settings.
South Sudan is facing overlapping crises, including rising violence, an economic downturn, and climate-related disasters. The crises are fueling food insecurity and malnutrition. The ongoing conflict in Sudan has exacerbated the dire situation, forcing over 1.2 million people into South Sudan.
Since the start of the conflict, some 164,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including an estimated 33,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 35,000 in Ethiopia, 70,000 in Sudan, and 26,000 in Uganda.
Flooding continues to impact communities and heighten protection risks across South Sudan, particularly for children. As of 25 September, an estimated 592,686 people have been affected by flooding across 25 counties in six states, with Jonglei and Unity accounting for more than 87 per cent of the total.
The Sudan crisis has triggered the largest displacement and protection emergency in the world today. Over 14 million people have been forced to flee since April 2023, with 12 million remaining displaced, including over 3.2 million refugees and asylum-seekers who have crossed borders into the Central African Republic, Chad, Egypt, Ethiopia, Libya, South Sudan, and Uganda as of mid-2025.
Between 17 and 27 July 2025, REACH conducted a mixed-methods assessment in Markath (Bilkey), Nukta (Dengjok), and Thokwath (Gakdong), targeting three population groups: returnees from Ethiopia and Sudan (arrived within the past 12 months), IDPs from Nasir and Ulang (arrived since March 2025), and the host community.
As of 17 September, widespread flooding continues to impact communities across South Sudan, affecting an estimated 379,154 people in 21 counties across five states.
South Sudan continues to face a dire humanitarian crisis fueled by the convergence of armed conflict, mass displacement, climate-related shocks, food insecurity, recurrent disease outbreaks, and economic decline factors that together have devastated millions of lives.
In August 2025, 70 humanitarian access incidents were recorded nationwide. Partners report a marked surge in violence targeting staff, compounds, and supplies—likely linked to worsening economic hardship—resulting in mission stand-downs, delayed deliveries, temporary program suspensions, and heightened risks for civilians and aid workers.
As of 9 September, an estimated 273,000 people are affected in 12 counties across four states, with Jonglei and Unity states accounting for over 91 per cent of those impacted.
August has brought much wetter conditions across the country, improving crop and pasture conditions but also increasing flood risk and leading to expansion of flood areas.
South Sudan faces an escalating food crisis, driven by ongoing conflict, frequent climate shocks and economic instability. These overlapping challenges have deepened food insecurity across the country, putting millions at risk and straining already limited resources.
There are now million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including million internally and million in neighbouring countries.
There are now 11.9 million forcibly displaced due to the outbreak of conflict in Sudan since April 2023, including 7.5 million internally and 4.1 million in neighbouring countries
As of 27 August, flooding has affected approximately 263,000 people in Mayendit and Panyijiar in Unity, Ayod and Bor South in Jonglei, Longochuk in Upper Nile and Pochalla in Greater Pibor Administrative Area.
According to a statement by the UN Spokesperson, and the UN Under-Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs, civilians remain cut off without access to food and clean water, and public health is deteriorating amid outbreaks of diseases like cholera.
Since the start of the conflict, some 149,000 people have sought refuge in neighboring countries, including an estimated 30,000 in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), 35,000 in Ethiopia, 60,000 in Sudan, and 24,000 in Uganda.
