Jonlei - Cattle - Roads and Floods

While Jonglei is now in the dry-season since almost 2 months half the state has not been accessible even up to now. The above picture shows the reality in many places. The soil is dry with cracks all over but then flooded areas are seen.  In this particular spot a river was passing. However a road was built in the previous dryseason without any culverts to lead the water away. Effectively causing major flooding for villages along a 50 km stretch. Most have now dried up but pools like these with the soild present means no vehicles can pass. We managed to cross twice but after that the road was again too soft in the mud. The picture shows a typical day in jonglei with cattle being moved to the wetlands 150 km away. People, cattle, goats and cars trying to pass in the mud.

Read more...

White Nile flowing in Jonglei State

Flying along the White Nile on the way to Bor from Juba is quite interesting. While the passable part of the Nile can be quite narrow, the river actually span quite some area. Bor is just about at the start of the Sudd thus there are islands, some permanent others that dissapear with the yearly rain. In addition there is many "lakes" forming in the inaccessible areas while the river expands and contracts. Its quite interesting to note that of all the water coming from Lake Victoria 90% will dissapear into the Sudd in North Jonglei.

Read more...

Floods all over Bor

This is the road 1 km from our office. As can be seen the black cotton soil is saturated with water and with no drainage anywhere the road wont dry up for another 2 months or so. Assuming no more rain , that is...

Read more...

Bor town is flooded

It is the rainy seadon in Bor, Jonglei, South Sudan and we have had some heavy down pours the last 2 weeks. Up until then Bor town had been for the most part spared from massive rains. Not so anymore. Now the water in most of town is just a few centimeters below the roads. any more heavy rain and we wont be able to move anywhere in town. Mind you we are cut of from the rest of the state already. Jonglei is the size of Denmark and most of it is now submerged.

Read more...

Murle Village in Jonglei State

A picture taken from the Mi-8 I was in the other week while going to Pibor. Trying to get a steady shot in a vibrating helicopter like the Mi-8 is not easy. Atleast we are able to open the window while in the air so we have a chance at clear shots.

I am now starting to Geotag as well as put more EXIF data into the pictures. So you can actually fin out exactly where this photo was taken.

Read more...