Over the past week a rise in insecurity has forced some 4,600 people to seek protection at the UN Mission in South Sudan (UNMISS) Protection of Civilians (PoC) site in Malakal, Upper Nile State.

Malakal PoC is already sheltering some 22,046 internally displaced people (IDPs), many who initially fled the renewed conflict in the State in December 2013.

The re-emergence of conflict caused massive displacement across South Sudan, loss of life and damage to vital community infrastructure, including health facilities and markets. In Malakal Town, widespread looting occurred, and private and public property was destroyed.

Countrywide, 1.5 million people remain internally displaced, with over 135,189 sheltering within PoC sites at UNMISS bases, according to UNOCHA.

IOM has been working to protect IDPs already sheltering in the Malakal PoC through a major expansion and rehabilitation of the existing site. Once completed, the 160,000m2 expansion of the site will accommodate over 6,000 IDPs and provide space for humanitarian service providers.

IOM is responsible for planning and development work at the new site and for registering new IDPs. As the Camp Coordination and Camp Management (CCCM) and Water, Sanitation and Hygiene (WASH) Cluster State Coordinator for Upper Nile State, IOM is also co-ordinating camp management and the WASH response.

As part of its camp management responsibilities, together with the Danish Refugee Council (DRC), the IOM team has built two water points and rehabilitated old latrines in the PoC to ensure new arrivals have access to safe drinking water and adequate sanitation. IOM is now mobilising the community to manage the facilities.

"The expansion will decrease overcrowding in the current PoC, improve access to services including protection, sanitation and health for thousands of IDPs, and provide better living conditions through proper infrastructure development," said Rainer Gonzalez-Palau, IOM WASH Officer and WASH Cluster State Focal Point in Upper Nile.

“One of the major projects and challenges in the new extension for IOM is providing water. It is difficult in this area to transport and treat more than 350,000 litres of water per day needed for the population here,” he added.

The expanded site will accommodate the recent influx of IDPs, but until relocation processes are arranged, new arrivals are being hosted in large emergency shelter tents. Community leaders have been welcoming the new arrivals and some recent arrivals are being hosted in the church and existing IDP shelters.