Cyclone Amphan made landfall near Sagar Island in West Bengal, India, close to the Bangladeshi border around 5 p.m. local time with sustained winds of 160 kilometers per hour (100 mph), according to the US Joint Typhoon Warning Center. Storm surge up to 5 meters (17 feet) is likely to occur along the coastline as Amphan continues to push inland across eastern India and Bangladesh. Heavy rain is also likely to lead to flash flooding across the region through Thursday morning. Once the storm pushes inland it will weaken significantly and is expected to dissipate by Friday.

Disaster Alert estimated that about 6,483 people will be severely affected and about 10 million moderately affected. About 43 million people are exposed to the cyclone. Reports estimate that 3 million people have been evacuated before landfall in India and Bangladesh. Some people have been reluctant to move to the emergency shelters for fear of infection from COVID-19. By landfall, 12 people have died in India with expectations that there could be more as communications and electricity had been cutoff. Migrant workers, particularly those trying to go back to Odisha, have been affected as transportation systems have stopped. In Bangladesh, one man has died when a tree fell on him while another one went missing after his boat capsized.

In India, CASA and LWSIT are planning to respond while CCDB in Bangladesh are already providing services to the affected communities.

ALERT Bangladesh India Cyclone Amphan

On the morning of Tuesday the 14 March 2020, Egypt was aggressively attacked by heavy rainfall caused flooding in multiple populated areas, causing massive property damages. More than 1000 houses were totally/ partially demolished by the wild effect of the strong gush of water. Also, extensive areas of agricultural land were destroyed by the effect of the downpours. Means of livelihood and income were negatively impacted. The floods claimed more than 30 human lives including children.

The ACT member (BLESS) is planning on submitting a Rapid Response Funding proposal to ensure that the floods affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to Shelter/ NFI.

Egypt_Floods_Emergency

During the night of Tuesday the 18 February 2020, the province of Quispicanchis, Cusco and Huancané, Puno in Peru, was affected by hailstorm and heavy rains resulting in damage and loss of crops such as potatoes, corn, wheat, quinoa, fava beans, barley, edible plants that are the main sources of food and income. Additionally, houses and animal sheds have been affected in their roofs and walls, putting in danger the life and health of approximately 1,500 peasant families, especially the ones with children under five years-old and the elderly. This situation is continuing and has caused the collapse of some house walls and animal sheds, calamine’s of the rooftop are broken allowing the downpour get into the houses and damaging mattresses and house stuff, and causing respiratory diseases in children and elderly people.

Peru Floods Hailstorm and heavy rains in Cusco and Puno

On the morning of Monday 2 March 2020, the region of of Tumbes, Northern Lima, Ica, Junin, and San Martin in Peru, was notified with an increased endemic level of the Aedes aegypti, the main vector of the viruses Dengue, Zika and Chikungunya.  The Epidemiology Offices of the Regional Health Directorates have reported the following number of confirmed cases per region: Ica, 27 cases; Northern Lima, 6 cases; Junín, 414 cases; Tumbes, 40 cases; San Martin, 664, cases. It should be noted that, in the first five weeks of 2020, there have been 12 deaths from dengue in and a total of 5,480 cases.

Peru: Dengue outbreak

The Philippines has been seeing a succession of disasters since December 2019 that have so far affected about 5.7 million people across the country.  Overall these have taken a significant toll on the capacities of the government and other actors to support the affected population. All three major island groups have been hit: typhoon and volcanic eruption in Luzon, typhoon in Visayas, and earthquake in Mindanao.  Across these areas, it has been difficult for affected people to restore their assets particularly their homes and livelihoods. The government estimates that almost USD 2 million worth of agriculture have been affected and economic losses of more than USD60 million, and the situation is not expected to improve very soon.

ACT Philippines Forum plans to submit a single Appeal for these disasters with NCCP as lead requesting member. The ACT Appeal will define a comprehensive and strategic approach for responding, considering the multiplicity of needs in a wide geographic location and mindful of the limited resources and capacities available within the ACT Forum.

ALERT Philippines Multi Disasters

Continuous and heavy rainfall caused flooding in Jakarta and its surrounding cities for two days during new year. Poorly maintained rivers, lack of water infiltration and littering has resulted in the rise of the water levels at many points in Jakarta, Bogor, Depok, Tangerang and Bekasi (Jabodetabek). As of 4 January, there are about 173,000 people have been displaced in 207 sub-districts of Jabodetabek as reported by National Disaster Management Authority of Indonesia (BNPB) with 53 dead.  About 409,000 have been affected by the floods.

ACT Indonesia Forum have been coordinating. Jakarta-based Indonesian Christian Association for Health Services (ICAHS/PELKESI), in partnership with Salvation Army and Gereja Kristen Indonesia (GKI), has started its relief operations by providing medical services in selected Jakarta areas and have already served 158 people.  They will continue their work in Bekasi in the coming days.

PELKESI plans to access ACT Alliance’s Rapid Response Fund to continue their health services in flood-affected areas.

ALERTS Indonesia Jakarta Flood