The winter season in Afghanistan typically spans from mid-December to mid-March, with the cold spell peaking in January-February. The temperatures plummeting to as low as -25°C in mountainous areas such as the central highlands, many families are bracing for yet another brutal winter without sufficient winterization support. its economic and health impacts extend well beyond, reaching into March. Limited income-generating opportunities, accumulated debts, and winter-related illnesses continue to strain vulnerable households.

According to the national Shelter Cluster, over 900,000 individuals in high-priority areas are at risk of not receiving essential heating assistance and winter non-food items (NFIs). Vulnerable groups, including women, girls, young children under five, and the elderly, are at heightened risk of pneumonia, starvation, and other health complications.

Among the most at-risk communities are over 18,000 families whose shelters were damaged or destroyed by flash floods and heavy rains in 2024, leaving them without proper insulation or protection against the cold. Additionally, more than 679,500 returnees from Pakistan since September 2023 are living in inadequate and undignified shelter conditions, with only 15% receiving critical support for rent, repairs, or transitional housing due to severe funding constraints.

ACT Alliance member Community World Services Asia (CWSA)is planning to initiate an emergency response to support the most vulnerable people through the RRF mechanism.

ACT-Alert-Afghanistan winter Emergency

Since January 16, 2025, violence in the Catatumbo region has escalated due to clashes over territorial control between two Non-State Armed Groups (NSAGs). As a result, at least 80 people have died, including five signatories of the final peace agreement. However, the actual number of victims is likely higher due to difficulties in recovering and identifying bodies in conflict-affected areas. Reports also indicate multiple cases of personal injury and forced disappearances. Additionally, broader armed operations, including military deployments and hostilities by the ELN (one of the NSAGs), have further exacerbated the crisis, severely impacting vulnerable populations such as the Barí Indigenous people, social leaders, children, and rural communities.

The humanitarian impact has been devastating, with forced displacement reaching 53,416 people as of February 2, compared to 5,422 cases recorded throughout 2024. Those displaced have sought refuge in municipalities such as Cúcuta (24,435), Tibú (13,373), and Ocaña (10,285). Many have been accommodated in shelters, temporary lodgings, and collection centers set up by local authorities. Meanwhile, 31,358 people remain confined in areas such as Tibú (17,373) and Teorama (9,000), with a high likelihood of further displacement in the coming weeks. Additionally, 4,443 refugees and migrants have been significantly impacted.

In response to the escalating crisis in the Catatumbo region, the Metropolitan Area of Cúcuta, and the municipalities of Río de Oro and González in the department of Cesar, the Presidency of Colombia issued Decree No. 0062 on January 24, 2025, declaring a state of internal commotion. Additionally, on January 23, 2025, the Governor’s Office of Norte de Santander issued Decree No. 000071, declaring a state of public calamity due to large-scale forced displacement. Several local governments, including those of Norte de Santander, Cúcuta, and Hacarí, have also issued emergency decrees to address the urgent humanitarian needs arising from the crisis.

IELCO and its partners will activate the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) to provide protection services to 2,500 displaced individuals over five months. The response will include emergency case management (MPC), the distribution of protection and hygiene kits, food assistance, GBV care, life-saving information on safe routes, psychosocial support, and safe spaces for children. The emergency response will be implemented in collaboration with Iglesia Central in Cúcuta, which operates one of the main distribution centers, and the Presbyterian Church of Colombia in Ocaña, along with other local partners, ensuring coordinated assistance and avoiding duplication of efforts.

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On the evening of Wednesday, November 6, 2024, Hurricane Rafael (Category III on the Saffir-Simpson scale) struck the western part of Cuba, passing through the provinces of Mayabeque and Artemisa and causing significant damage to urban infrastructure and agriculture. The hurricane also caused collateral damage in Havana Province. Sustained winds exceeding 185 km/h and torrential rain battered these areas, including the cities of Artemisa and Bauta. This disaster occurred amid an unprecedented national energy crisis, characterized by repeated disconnections of the national electrical system, which left the entire country without power for several days. As of November 8, 2024, the situation is still not fully resolved, and parts of the country, especially in the western provinces, remain partially or entirely without electricity.

The hurricane’s impact came at a time when Cuba was already facing an unprecedented economic and humanitarian crisis, marked by food and resource shortages, continuous daily blackouts, and limited access to medical supplies. Since December 2022, reports indicate an exacerbation of staple food shortages. Approximately 80% of the basic food basket for the Cuban population relies on imports, costing over $2 billion USD. The main imports—wheat, rice, beans, corn, soybeans, chicken, and oil—could potentially be produced domestically if sufficient funding and a coherent production strategy were available at the local and territorial levels. As of Sunday afternoon, approximately 200,000 people in Artemisa and Bauta remain without power and water as emergency crews continue repairs. Electricity and phone services were also destroyed. There are no fatalities reported. Hurricane Rafael is the strongest storm to strike this part of Cuba in nearly 80 years.

Hurricane Rafael’s slow movement for 12 hours brought heavy rainfall and strong winds that caused flooding, severe infrastructure damage, and road blockages affected 11 municipalities in Artemisa. The preliminary data records damages, including total or partial collapses, in more than 5,500 homes, including 4,933 in Artemisa and 660 in Mayabeque. In Havana, 461 collapses are reported, both total and partial, of which 99 were in the housing sector. As of November 8, an estimated 83% of Havana’s residents remain without power. In the city of over two million people, only about 100,000 have access to water by gravity, while the rest rely on pumping stations that require electricity. Severe impacts on the agricultural sector of Artemisa and Mayabeque, the main food producers in Havana. Preliminary reports suggest significant damage to banana, cassava, rice, bean, vegetable, corn, and soybean crops, as well as to poultry and pig farms. The lack of power has hampered local information dissemination and preparedness efforts, further complicating response activities.

The CCRD-Cuba, in coordination with implementing partners will be providing emergency response in WASH, PSS, NFI, Food/Nutrition and Shelter to affected population in Aretemisa and Bauta. It has been foreseen that this response would last 6 months.

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Tropical Storm Sara severely impacted Central America, posing a critical threat to Honduras due to heavy rainfall and widespread flooding following its landfall late on November 14. The storm made landfall approximately 100 miles west-northwest of Cabo Gracias a Dios, on the Honduras-Nicaragua border, with sustained winds of 45 mph and a westward movement of 10 mph. Torrential rains across the region have significantly heightened risks, with forecasts predicting up to 30 inches of rainfall in northern Honduras. These conditions are expected to result in dangerous flash floods and mudslides, particularly in vulnerable areas such as the flood-prone Sula Valley . The emergency in Honduras is escalating, especially in the departments of Atlántida, Yoro, and other heavily impacted areas. A national emergency has been declared under decree PCM-35-2024, published on November 15 in the official newspaper La Gaceta (Number 36,690). This declaration establishes a 30-day emergency for areas identified by COPECO as severely affected by Tropical Storm Sara.

According to the National Report on the Impact of Tropical Storm Sara (November 14–19, 2024) , the storm has impacted 45,531 families, totalling 144,144 people. Among them, 7,184 people are taking shelter in government-designated emergency centres, while others have sought refuge with relatives or friends. At the level of all departments under red alert, there are 2,379 isolated communities where the status of the population remains unknown due to inaccessibility, further exacerbating the situation. The most vulnerable families have been disproportionately affected, primarily due to inadequate infrastructure, soil saturation, and road collapses. These factors have significantly increased their exposure to additional risks. Damage to road infrastructure, including the collapse of bridges and the obstruction of key roads, has severely hindered access to many affected communities. This has delayed critical rescue and relief operations, complicating the delivery of assistance to those in urgent need.

Tropical Storm Sara has caused widespread devastation across Honduras, severely impacting multiple regions. In Cortés, strong winds and heavy rains displaced families and caused significant structural damage. In Atlántida, flooding left over 7,000 people isolated as landslides and road obstructions cut off access to essential services. In Colón, flooding affected more than 7,000 people, with extensive damage to homes, roads, and bridges, leaving many communities inaccessible. Yoro faced rising waters that displaced over 2,100 people, while blocked transportation routes further hindered relief efforts. Gracias a Dios experienced severe river overflows, isolating communities and affecting over 7,600 people, particularly in Puerto Lempira. In Choluteca, flooding displaced 1,200 people and caused significant structural damage, while in Valle, nearly 500 people were affected as critical roads were submerged, cutting off access to affected areas. These widespread impacts underscore the urgent need for coordinated humanitarian assistance to address the needs of displaced and isolated populations.

CASM plans to provide emergency response to 1,200 families (4,800 individuals, including 2,496 women and 2,304 men) over a three-month period, focusing on the sectors of WASH, Food Security, and Nutrition.

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Colombia hosts almost three million Venezuelan migrants as of February 2024, making it the largest recipient of Venezuelan migrants and refugees. This represents one of the largest displacements globally, second only to Syria. Approximately 7.7 million people have left Venezuela following the collapse of its economy. South America has also experienced an increasing influx of Haitian migrants since the 2010 earthquake, which displaced an estimated two million people. More recently, Haitian migration has been driven by escalating violence and poverty. Ecuadorians form the second-largest group of migrants and refugees in the region after Venezuelans, migrating primarily to Central America and the United States, largely for economic reasons (IDB – OECD, 2024).

Colombia has also become a transit country for irregular migration, serving as a corridor for individuals seeking to move northward. Many of these migrants are fleeing conflict, natural disasters, or a lack of opportunities for a dignified life in their countries of origin. In 2023, nearly 540,000 people crossed the Darién Gap—the dense jungle between Colombia and Panama—with most originating from South America, followed by migrants from the Antilles and Asia. By September 2024, Migración Panamá reported that 263,296 people had crossed the Darién Gap. The border zone spans from the Chocó region in Urabá, particularly Acandí, to areas in Antioquia such as Necoclí, Turbo, Carepa, Chigorodó, and Apartadó.

The municipalities in the Urabá region are struggling to cope with the influx of migrants, which has overwhelmed basic services while receiving insufficient humanitarian support. Immediate, coordinated efforts are critical to address urgent needs, including food, safety, and access to essential services.

Protection remains a top priority, as vulnerable populations require immediate assistance, particularly safe spaces for those at risk. The lack of facilities for victims of trafficking and gender-based violence highlights the urgent need to support women, children, and adolescents. Armed groups operating in border areas exacerbate risks, including sexual violence, forced labor, forced recruitment, and human trafficking. According to the International Organization for Migration (IOM), 536 migrant deaths were reported in the Darién Gap between 2015 and 2024, with 172 occurring in 2024 alone. Accounts from survivors suggest there is significant underreporting of deaths and disappearances.

While the influx of migrants has brought higher incomes for host communities through foreign currency, it has also driven up the cost of goods and services, creating additional barriers for migrants in transit. Basic necessities, including affordable shelter, remain out of reach for many. For example, the cost of using a shower can be as high as USD 5 per person.

Since November 2023, IELCO has been active in the Urabá region of Antioquia, specifically in Turbo. Through a partnership with the local Presbyterian Church, IELCO has served 4,017 people—2,202 men, adolescents, and boys, and 1,815 women, adolescents, and girls—highlighting the pressing needs in this region. To continue addressing these challenges, IELCO plans to activate the Rapid Response Fund (RRF) to provide protection services to 4,000 migrants over a five-month period. These services will include emergency case management (such as shelter and transportation), distribution of protection kits (including hygiene supplies, food, and GBV response materials), life-saving information on safe routes, psychosocial support, and safe spaces for children and adolescents.

ACT Alert Colombia Migration Crisis

Severe Tropical Storm Trami (locally named Kristine) wreaked havoc across multiple regions, triggering widespread flooding and landslides. From October 22 to 23, Trami lingered near the Bicol Region (Region V), delivering an unprecedented and record-high 525.5 mm of rainfall in just 24 hours. This torrential downpour triggered devastating flash floods and landslides, resulting in 62 fatalities in the region alone.

In less than a week, Super Typhoon Kong-Rey (locally named Leon), with maximum sustained winds of 195 km/h and gusts up to 240 km/h, entered the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on October 27. Signal No. 5 was raised over Itbayat and Basco as the typhoon brought “violent conditions” while passing close to Batanes. The storm caused extensive damage across the province, still reeling from Typhoon Krathon (Julian) just a month earlier. STY Kong-Rey also triggered storm surges in Pagudpud, Ilocos Norte, and battered the Mountain Province with strong winds, displacing families and damaging homes.

As of November 4, more than 8.6 million people (2.2 million families) have been affected with the combined effects of STS Trami and STY Kong-Rey across 17 out of 18 regions in the country. According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC), at least 711,149 persons have been displaced which are either staying in government-designated evacuation centers or seeking temporary refuge with their friends or relatives. While the Department of Social Welfare and Development has reported 8.7 million people affected from the Bangsamoro Region in Mindanao to the northernmost part of Luzon in Batanes.

ACT Alliance member National council of Churches in Philippines is already on the ground and planning to extend support the affected communities. NCCP is planning to launch an appeal to address the urgent needs but also focus on the recovery and rehabilitation in the areas.

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