JUBA, Oct. 3 (Xinhua) -- Widespread flooding caused by heavy rains in South Sudan has killed 19 people and affected an estimated 639,225 others across 26 counties in six states, a United Nations (UN) humanitarian agency said on Friday.

The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said nearly 175,000 people are displaced, sheltering on higher ground in 16 counties.

"Health risks are rising, with increasing cases of malaria, respiratory infections, and diarrhea," OCHA said in its latest humanitarian report released in Juba, the capital of South Sudan.

It said at least 121 health facilities have been impacted amid reports of 144 snake bites and 3,391 malnutrition cases across 11 counties.

The report came a day after global charity Save the Children said that an estimated 1.4 million people in South Sudan face the threat of flooding this year, with above-average rainfall forecast for October and November. The charity said communities have already lost farmland, livelihoods, homes, and access to schools and health facilities, with 379,000 people displaced by rising water.

Save the Children also reported a rise in waterborne diseases and an increase in snake bite cases, which are escalating public health concerns. ■