Practical flood risk reduction strategies in South Sudan

More extreme weather patterns caused by climate change are leading to more intense and frequent flooding in some of the world's most vulnerable locations. The Republic of South Sudan faces obstacles mitigating rivers and urban floods caused by heavy rainfall in many of its regions. Through a focused review of the related literature, this study will first analyze the effectiveness and failures of the South Sudanese government's attempts to mitigate flood risks, save lives, and prevent property damage. Study data are derived from various sources including peer-reviewed research, government and nongovernment documents, and the news media. Next, using similar qualitative review methods, a parallel case study from Bangladesh will be used to glean comparative findings and help formulate flood risk reduction recommendations for South Sudan. Findings include that government efforts are highly reactive and lack adequate resources to address flood mitigation. Analysis also indicates that locally driven structural and nonstructural disaster risk reduction efforts are critical to reducing vulnerability to this ongoing and intensifying threat. The study implications and recommendations advance the existing literature on this topic and are relevant to any global region displaying vulnerability opposite the complex threat of repeated intense flooding.