The state of Odisha in India has been witnessing incessant rainfall from 15 July 2017, due to which flash floods occurred in river Nagabali and Kalyani of Rayagada district. More than 28,000 people in 50 villages under Rayagada Block and 20 villages under Kalyansinghpur Block have been affected. Five persons have been injured due to a wall collapse in Rayagada district. The ACT India Forum is planning to respond to this emergency via ACT member Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA). The 76’800 USD target project is aimed at providing relief assistance in the form of Food and Shelter/Non Food Items to the flood-affected people in the district of Rayagada, in order to address many of their survival needs. The appeal document can be accessed below Appeals_India_Floods in Odisha_IND171  

On May 23, 2017, the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) launched a military and law enforcement operation in Marawi City, Lanao del Sur province in Mindanao, in pursuit of Abu Sayyaf leader Isnilon Hapilon, who was believed to be the designated leader of the Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS) in the Philippines. His forces fought back with reinforcement from the Maute Group, a local militant group that has pledged its allegiance to the ISIS. This led to a firefight between the AFP and the Islamic extremists, which has displaced a total of 353,358 persons or 74,981 households from the 96 barangays of Marawi City and 20 municipalities of Lanao del Sur. Of the total affected population, 4,086 households/18,294 persons are currently staying in 78 evacuation centres while 70,895 households/335,064 persons are staying with their relatives tracked in 7 Regions (NDRRMC, July 5, 2017). Latest data from the government (Ibid) revealed that there are 418 reported dead and 209 reported missing, though more are expected because of the continuous airstrikes and ground assaults from the opposing parties. The insecure situation has not allowed any detailed damage assessments to take place; however, extensive damages are expected on homes, livelihoods and infrastructures, including academic and religious structures. The President of the Philippines declared Martial Law in the Mindanao group of islands on the same day of the conflict, while Marawi City declared the State of Calamity on May 25, 2017. Appeals_Philippines_Marawi crises_PHL171

There have been heavy torrential rains since 2^nd July 2017 in the North-Eastern state of Assam in India. The rains have continued and the floods have intensified in the last 48 hours. 24 districts of Assam have been affected during this current phase of floods. A population of 1,718,135 has been badly affected by current floods and is struggling with the worsening flood situation in the state. According to a report by the Assam Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), lately, 7 people were killed in various flood-related incidents in Goalpara, Jorhat and Lakhimpur districts. In Lakhimpur, 3 people were killed by drowning and landslides. The toll in the Assam flood has risen to 44 with five more deaths being reported on Wednesday, July 12, 2017. Approximately 1 million animals, including poultry have been affected and 1,652 houses have been damaged during this flood. Large scale destruction of infrastructure, cropland and wildlife has been reported from different areas. 2,498 villages with more than 140,837 hectares of standing crops have been badly affected due to floods. The flood water has caused widespread destruction in the world-famous Kaziranga National Park, where more than 560 animals, including 14 rhinos, were killed. Road services have been affected at 2,847 places while railway tracks, damaged by landslides in the Lumding-Badarpur Railway division, were yet to be restored. The situation is likely to worsen in coming days as the water level in major rivers is continually rising above the danger level and more rainfall has been predicted by the Meteorological Department of India. RRFs_India_Floods in North-Eastern State of Assam_No.RRF 08/2017

The political, economic and social context in the Occupied Palestinian Territory (OPT) did not change much during 2016 and the first part of 2017. Poverty, hardship condition, psycho-social problems and food shortage are still dominating the overall picture of the situation in Gaza. The ongoing siege imposed on the Gaza Strip since June 2006 is still contributing to the deterioration of health status and negatively affecting the provision of health services. The United Nations Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (UN-OCHA) conducted a humanitarian impact assessment of the blockade on the Gaza Strip in November 2016, and has repeatedly described the situation as a chronic emergency and a protracted human dignity crisis. The blockade and three major escalations of hostilities in the last six years have inflicted large-scale destruction on Gaza’s economy, productive assets and infrastructure. A chronic energy crisis, with power outages reaching 12-16 hours a day, also impairs service delivery, students’ educational activities, the function of hospitals and medical equipment, as well as the operation of more than 280 water and wastewater facilities. ACT Alliance, through the ACT Palestine Forum (APF), has been consistently working on the ground with the most vulnerable people. This Follow-on Appeal proposes to run Cash Relief, Job-Creation, Psycho-social Support, Health, Education, and Agriculture programs. Appeals_Palestine_Gaza and West Bank Crises_PSE171

Incessant heavy monsoon rains (as high as 553 mm) starting on May 26 have caused floods and landslides in many parts of Sri Lanka (15 districts). As of 1^st June 2017, 206 people are reported dead, while 92 are missing; so far, over 658,490 people are affected. Further, 1,713 houses were fully destroyed and around 9,294 houses partially damage^[1]. Most numbers of damages to lives and property are reported in Southern and Western part of the country: from Galle, Matara, Kalutara, Gampaha, Colombo and Ratnapura districts.  In addition, Approximately 68,734 people were relocated to 365 safe locations.

ACT Sri Lanka Forum through The National Christian Council of Sri Lanka (NCCSL) plans to respond to this emergency through ACT Rapid Response Fund (RRF) at the amount of 60,000 USD, by providing Food Security, Non-Food Items, Health, and WASH programs.

Ongoing armed conflicts between the DRC government forces and the Kamuena Nsapu militia faction in Lunda Norte Province have triggered large displacements. As of the 13^th of April, it was reported that a total of 11,051 refugees had arrived from the DRC and were settling in two camps. These numbers continue to rise as it is estimated that there is an additional 300-400 refugees arriving each day. Tensions on both sides of the border are high. Still, the Angolan authorities assure that the border is not closed, but that the commercial movements are being closely monitored and the usual local market closed. The government sent a multi-sector team to assess the situation. The government of Angola has to date not declared an emergency, as the governments of Angola and DRC are analysing the situation and hope voluntary repatriation to DRC will be possible within one month or so. In the meantime, the situation in the camps is dire as the access to basic services is very limited. The situation is further compounded by the fact that the camps are over-crowded causing a lack of shelter, food & NFIs, and poor sanitation. Furthermore, protection issues are frequent as there are cases of unaccompanied minors and violation of human rights, particularly with regards to the risk of repatriation. ACT Angola Forum through Lutheran World Federation(LWF) plans to respond to the ongoing crisis and provide basic needs such as shelter, WASH, food and NFIs, child rights protection, human rights and health care assistance for life-saving. UN Agencies are advocating for an official emergency declaration, in order to facilitate a more comprehensive response. Preliminary Appeals _Angola_DRC Refugee Influx Crisis in Lunda Norte _ANG171    

130 mm of rain fell in the city of Mocoa in southwest Colombia between 23:00 on 31 March and 01:00 on 1 April, causing the flooding of the Mocoa, Mulato, and Sangoyaco Rivers, and several mudslides throughout Mocoa. These rainfalls amount to one-third of the average for an entire month for the area. At least 332 people have died, 332 were injured, 106 remain missing. About 17,500 of the up to 70,000 living in Mocoa have been affected by the floods and mudslides, and 3,417 are displaced. 36 of 37 neighbourhoods of Mocoa have been affected.   Areas in southern Mocoa have been the hardest hit, and six are completely destroyed. The registration of victims has been closed, with over one hundred persons still counted as “disappeared.” Now the efforts focus on restoring services and normality to the capital of Putumayo Department.   Thousands of families remain in precarious living conditions, many of them in the 13 formal shelters established by the authorities. Authorities are ensuring that supplies and services are reaching affected populations, both in the 13 formal shelters set up and in the spontaneous settlements in the outskirts of Mocoa. The ACT Alliance Colombia forum Member, LWF in coordination with a local partner is responding to the emergency and have agreed to address the response to livelihoods restoration. Appeals_Colombia_Floods and Mudslides in Mocoa_COL171  

The humanitarian situation in Eastern Ukraine remains difficult and continues to deteriorate. This is due to the fighting clashes, which began in April 2014 between militia-armed groups in the Donetsk and Luhansk regions of Ukraine, and the forces and armed groups under the central government in Kiev. Because of active hostilities, hundreds of thousands of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and refugees continue to flee to the neighbouring regions of Ukraine and Russia. A total of 1,583,827 IDPs were registered in Ukraine as of April 25, 2017, and over 1.2 million refugees are in Russia. In Ukraine, 3.8 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance due to the conflict. The civilian population in the conflict regions of Eastern Ukraine is in dire need of humanitarian assistance, suffering from the ongoing hostilities, lack of access to basic services and financial resources, and the destruction of local social, communal and economic infrastructure. ACT Alliance members Russian Orthodox Church -Department for External Church Relations (ROC/DECR)  and Hungarian Interchurch Aid (HIA) plan to continue their humanitarian support to IDPs in Ukraine, refugees in Russia and vulnerable war affected civilians in the war regions of Eastern Ukraine to contribute to the alleviation of their suffering by addressing their most pressing needs in the sectors of Food Security, Water, Sanitation and Hygiene, Health/Psychosocial support and Shelter and Non Food Items. The ACT Appeal UKR171 follows on the response to the ACT Appeal UKR161. Appeals_Ukraine and Russia_Crisis affected civilians_UKR_171  

Kenya’s President, Uhuru Kenyatta on 9^th February 2017, declared an on-going drought in Kenya a national disaster already affecting 23 out of 47 counties reported to be at alarm stage. The current drought situation affects an estimated 2.7 million people with children, pregnant women, new mothers and the elderly bearing the brunt of the calamity thus necessitating the urgent plea from government and community leaders to respond to immediate emergency and early recovery needs. Causes of drought are attributed to a late start of short rains between Oct-Nov 2016. These rains were also very brief and inadequate. As a result, there has been a persistent and widespread deficit of water and food for humans and scarce water and vegetation for livestock resulting in livestock mortality rates of 5%. In addition, poor 2016 short rains, affected proper growth of marginal crop producing regions which have predicted crop failure of up to 70 % (compared to a 5-year average)already resulting in an increase in food prices. Most affected populations being pastoral communities residing in Arid and Semi-Arid counties of Northern Kenya. ACT Alliance Kenya forum through its members Christian Aid, Church World Service (CWS), National Council of Churches in Kenya (NCCK), Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Finn Church Aid (FCA), Anglican Development Services (ADS) and Lutheran World Relief (LWR) are responding and intend to scale-up interventions in WASH, Food Security, Early Recovery and Livelihoods restoration and Peace Building and Conflict Transformation through the ACT Appeal. Appeals_Kenya_Drought_KEN171 [caption id="attachment_5627" align="alignnone" width="700"] Credit: V.Muniz[/caption]  

The worst flooding since 1998 is scouring the arid landscape of coastal Peru. This Phenomenon has been affecting the country since January 2017. In February, there were damages due to the same reason in other geographical areas affecting 800 people, and an RRF of 59,072 USD was granted by ACT Secretariat to respond to the emergency (RRF04/2017, issued on 17.2.17).  The situation in Peru has kept worsening since then. The current situation has exceeded the local capacity to respond, the affected population have increased to 863,000 persons. The ACT Secretariat has approved to add 90,880 USD to the RRF.

Humanitarian needs are wide-ranging. Thus far it is estimated that 29,000 houses and dwellings have been destroyed or collapsed, affecting at least 120,000 people who are in immediate need for alternative shelter and other types of assistance such as water, sanitation and hygiene as well as protection. There is concern that levels of personal hygiene and sanitation are low, increasing risks of disease outbreaks, including acute diarrhoea, dengue and Zika virus.     The State of Emergency is in effect in 11 of the country’s 24 departments and one constitutional province, and a Health Emergency has been declared in 8 departments, affecting 655 districts. According to the National Office of Meteorology and Hydrography (SENAMHI, Spanish acronym), the emergency situation is expected to continue until the end of April. In the town of Piura, in Piura region, which is one of the most affected areas

RRFs_Peru_Floods and Mudslides _No. RRF 04/2017 - Rev.1

Monday 20^th February 2017 marked the most historic declaration of famine in parts of South Sudan, affecting mostly Internally Displaced Persons (IDPs) who are dispersed and the host communities already affected by the on-going conflict. Across South Sudan, more than 3 million people have been forced to flee their homes and nearly 7.5 million people need humanitarian assistance and protection, as a result of multiple and deepening crises, including conflict, inter-communal violence, economic decline, disease, and climatic shocks, which have led to displacement, distress, destitution and death. South Sudan ACT Forum members CA, DCA, FCA, ICCO-Cooperation, LWF, NCA and PRDA are planning to respond jointly. The key response sectors are Food Security & Livelihoods, Nutrition, WASH and NFIs, as well as Education (EiE) & Psychosocial Support. This intervention will be targeting at least 180,000 severely crisis affected people across South Sudan, with a target of 9,161,771.54 USD. Appeals_South Sudan_Famine Crisis_SSD171 [caption id="attachment_5490" align="alignnone" width="700"] Credit: Valter Hugo Muniz/ACT[/caption]