Ethiopia: Tigray Conflict
In the evening of Tuesday, 3 November 2020, reports indicate that Tigray regional special force attacked the northern command base of the Ethiopia Federal army. As a result, Ethiopia Federal military was deployed to restore law and order. The conflict has erupted and is ongoing and even escalating to affect Eritrea.
According to unconfirmed reports from OCHA, the conflict has already resulted in massive internal displacements. According to UNHCR, more than 30,000 refugees from Tigray have already crossed the border to Sudan and their numbers are continuously increasing. The ACT Ethiopia Forum stands in solidarity with all affected, and calls for a peaceful resolution, and the immediate stop of the fighting.
In collaboration with other relevant stakeholders, ACT Ethiopia Forum further calls for the establishment of a humanitarian corridor to allow relief operations and the protection of all civilians and humanitarian aid workers.
Ethiopia_Tigray Conflict.
Alert 11 2020 Landslide Colombia
During the night of Friday the 13 November 2020, the town of DabeibaViejo in Colombia , was affected by High Precipitations that caused a great landslide in Dabeiba, western Antioquia. The emergency has so far left six dead and 16 missing persons, as confirmed by the National Unit for Risk Management, UNGR. The evacuation of the nearly 600 families in the affected zone was one of the actions prioritized by the authorities, the precipitations are forecast to continue for the next 10 days in the area. Alert Landslide Colombia Nov 2020 Final version
In the evening of Saturday the 7 November 2020, the region of Gedaref state in Sudan, reported receiving thousands of civilians who were fleeing from conflict in the Tigray region of Ethiopia. The Tigray regional special force attacked the northern command base. ACT member NCA (Norwegian Church Aid-Sudan) is extremely concerned about the worsening crisis in Gedaref/Kassala as the number of refugees continues to grow. As of 16 November, over 27,600 refugees had crossed the border since 7 November with reports indicating that there are over 2000 refugees crossing the border every day. Most of the refugees are mainly women and children and they are arriving in bad physical and health condition.
There is a shortage of housing, food, water, medicine and other equipment as well insecurity and lack of protection against Gender-Based Violence. The refugee camps in Kassala and Shagarab can help but are not equipped to cope with larger arrivals.
Sudan_ Tigray Conflict (Alert)
Alert-11-2020 Hurricane ETA Honduras and Nicaragua
By Monday, November 2nd, the National Disaster Authorities for both Nicaragua and Honduras, reports that, given the characteristics of its movement and speed of its winds, ETA has become a Category 4 Hurricane before touching land, by November 4 it has been degraded to Tropical Storm but keep influencing both countries.
The public advisory issued by the National Hurricane Center, in November 2, ETA presented an eyewall of an extremely dangerous hurricane, moving around onshore along the coast of northeastern Nicaragua and Honduras.
It is expected to bring life-threating STORM SURGES, CATASTROPHIC WINDS, FLASH FLOODING, AND LANDSLIDES. Even after degrading to Tropical Storm
Alert Nicaragua and Honduras _Hurricane Eta
Nagorno Karabagh: Armed conflicts
On the morning of Sunday the 27 September 2020, Azerbaijan army attacked the region of Nagorno Karabagh using heavy artillery, tanks, aircraft and missiles. Towns and villages were bombed, including the capital city of Sepanakert. This conflict put country in the state of crisis. 47 civilian is death and 135 wounded, while 90.000 people has to seek refuge. The military operations may expand beyond the conflict zone, resulting in serious atrocities and a humanitarian crisis in the region, exacerbated by the situation related to the coronavirus outbreak. This situation is undermining regional security and peace, significantly raising the risks of a full-fledged war. 90.000 affected people are currently hosted in hotels, camps, vacant buildings and families with many unmet vital humanitarian needs such as access to: food, shelter, clothing, including for cold season, footwear, blankets, pillows, bedding, sanitation and hygiene items, stationery for schoolchildren, technical means for on-line classes, and payment for utilities.
ART, a national member of ACT Armenia forum intends to support displaced persons, predominantly women and children with shelter, food and non-food items.
Alert_Armenia_Armed conflicts in Nagorno Karabagh
Philippines: Typhoon Goni
Super typhoon Goni made landfall in Bato, Catanduanes on the early morning of 1 November, 2020. The category 5 typhoon considered as the world’s strongest typhoon this year, had maximum sustained winds of 225 km/hr and gustiness of up to 280 km/hr and moving at 25 kph affecting 372,716 families or 1.4 million people in five regions across Central and Southern Luzon. Last week a weaker typhoon, typhoon Quinta affected the same areas while another one, typhoon Atsani, has entered the Philippines right behind Goni on a slightly different path. Philippines is still experiencing high number of COVID-19 cases which makes the situation complicated.
ACT Philippines Forum has convened and plans to raise an appeal to support their response. The members have been coordinating with other humanitarian actors especially through faith-based networks, NASSA/Caritas Philippines and the Philippine Council of Evangelical Churches – PhilRADS,
ALERT Philippines Typhoon Goni
Alert-10-2020 Migrant Caravan Honduras
During the night of Wednesday the 30 September 2020, the city of San Pedro Sula in Honduras was
the meeting point for approximately 2000 people who organized themselves via social media to leave
Honduras in an effort to reach the United States. This is the first Caravan (the name these massive
migration efforts are given by media) since the Covid19 outbreak and since Guatemala has become
part of an agreement as a third-safer country signed with USA in 2019. In consequence transit in
Guatemala and Mexico is riskier due to reinforced security measures and an increased rejection
towards migrants in these countries. CASM expects that in the following days, returnees will
massively arrive to San Pedro Sula. This alert is to provide assistance for a dignified and secured
return.Alert Honduras Migrant Caravan
In the afternoon of Tuesday the 5 October 2017, the province of Cabo Delgado in Mozambique, recorded the first armed attack carried out by fundamentalist terrorists, leading to the outbreak of armed conflict that persists to this day.
Over the past three years, monitoring groups say more than 1,500 people have been killed and at least 10,000 households have been displaced. Reliable casualty reports have not yet come through, but they are expected to be significant and it remains unknown how many civilians have died (The Guardian, ReliefWeb Aug 2020).
Insurgents have also captured a strategic port in the restive province of Cabo Delgado in northern Mozambique. Government forces in Mozambique are fighting to regain control of a remote area in the north causing alarm that fighting in Mozambique could destabilize the region.
CEDES a national member of ACT Mozambique forum intends to support displaced households with food and non-food items.
Mozambique_Conflict
On August 4, 2020 a catastrophic explosion at Beirut Port caused widespread damage for hundreds of buildings including grain silos storing around 85 percent of the country’s grain, and numerous residential places have been damaged or destroyed, including many healthcare facilities and several major hospitals in Greater Beirut area, due to the blast. Official governmental reports estimate that more than 135 people were killed and over 5,000 are injured, and more than 300,000 people left homeless in the Greater Beirut area. Beirut’s governor estimated the damages costs ranging from $3-5 billion, and calls for international aid to Lebanon.
ACT Lebanon forum is in discussion on submitting a funding proposal to the ACT Secretariat to provide assistance in Shelter rehabilitation/ NFI, food assistance, hygiene items, and cash for work to ensure that the affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to their needs.
Lebanon Alert- Explosion
Horn and East Africa: Desert Locusts
The desert locust is considered the most destructive migratory pest in the world as it is highly mobile and feeds on large quantities of any kind of green vegetation, including crops, pasture, and fodder.
In February 2020, the government of Somalia declared the locust upsurge a national disaster. Currently, various UN and government agencies are conducting post-event assessment /spraying.
The region is now seeing the spread of swarms of desert locusts that may eat crops in many countries before the main harvest from July to September. FAO currently projects that an additional 1.5 to 2.5 million people could become severely food insecure as a result solely of locust outbreaks.
ACT Horn and East Africa Regional forum are planning to submit a Regional appeal on cash transfer, seed and livestock feed emergency stocks. Requesting members in the regional appeal will include Christian Aid in Ethiopia, LWF, NCA in South Sudan, DCA, CoU in Uganda and CWS, ADS in Kenya, among others.
All interventions will be conducted within WHO guidelines on prevention of COVID-19.
Horn and East Africa_ Desert Locust Infestation.
