Heavy rains have affected different regions in Bolivia. Overflowing rivers and floods have been reported in Alto Beni, Palos Blancos, Guanay, Rurrenabaque, Riberalta, Villa Montes, Cutaiqui, San Borja and San Buenaventura. According to the Ministry of Defense reports, 79 municipalities (of 338 in the country) are under a state of disaster and 25 are under a state of emergency as of April 8. A total of 47,125 families suffered partial loss of assets, 23,683 families have been left homeless, 34 people were reported dead and 26 people are missing. The Government has reported that the greatest number of victims are found in Potosí, La Paz, Chuquisaca, Beni, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba – more than 70,000 families affected between February and April. Major damages include loss of crops, housing and other assets. The rains that have been falling since the beginning of the year, influenced by the El Niño phenomenon, have caused different degrees of impact. On 2 and 3 of April, heavy rains affected areas between the departments of Chuquisaca and Santa Cruz, affecting 3,059 families in two municipalities in Monteagudo and Cami. The Bolivian Government declared a national emergency on 27 February, and on 10 April declared an emergency for the departments of Potosí, La Paz, Chuquisaca, Santa Cruz and Cochabamba.

The ACT Alliance Forum through its local member The Methodist Church in Bolivia is willing to provide emergency relief through a RRF in  five Municipalities belonging to the Departments of Beni and Potosí. (Tupiza, Villazon, Colquencha, San Borga, Rurrenabaque).

Alerts_Floods_Bolivia

In Tanzania, the locations of Same and Morogoro were hit by a heavy rainstorm accompanied by heavy winds in early March 2019. In both locations, there was massive destruction of roofs (houses, government institution facilities, churches and mosques) and massive destruction of food on farms, many livestock were lost.

To date, the affected displaced persons from both locations are being hosted by local community members. This hosting arrangement continues to be challenging as displaced and hosting communities continue to share limited space and resources. There is also a risk of gender-based violence. In addition, pupils from affected schools are affected by poor access education services due to the rainstorm destruction.

ACT Tanzania Forum member (TCRS) is planning on submitting a Rapid Response Fund Request to support the needs that are still pending among affected communities.

Alert-Rainstorm in Tanzania

On the morning of Friday the 15 March 2019, storm IDAI made landfall near Beira in Mozambique and brought strong winds and caused severe flooding in South-eastern Malawi.

Since then, the Southern and Central region of Malawi has been affected by consecutive days of torrential, continuous rains and severe flooding.

As of 16 March, the United Nations in Malawi reported that official data indicate that more than 922,000 people have been affected in 15 districts. There have been at least 56 deaths, 577 people injured and over 16,000 households displaced. In addition, crops, houses and livestock have been destroyed.

ACT Malawi Forum is working on a joint regional appeal with ACT forum members in Mozambique and Zimbabwe.

Alerts_Malawi_Cyclone Idai.

Heavy rains caused by powerful tropical Cyclone Idai hit the central and northern regions of Mozambique from 14th March 2019, leading to massive floods and leaving at least 202 people dead, according to the President of Mozambique, Filipe Nyusi. The death toll is expected to rise in the coming days. The situation is likely to deteriorate and the number of people affected is likely to increase, as weather experts predict heavy rainfall in Sofala and Manica provinces from 19 to 21 March. Flood waters may rise up to around eight metres and at least 350,000 people are at risk (OCHA Flash Update, 19 March). There are also growing concerns regarding the potential effects of the overflow of the Marowanyati Dam in Zimbabwe on water levels in Mozambique.

Most of the affected population are located in the provinces of Zambezia (districts of Chiunde, Luabo, Inhassugue, Mopeia, Nicoandala , Maquaival, Mocubela. Mulevala, Mocuba, Milage, Dere and
Qualimane), Niassa (districts of Cuamba and Madimba), and Sofala Province (districts of Buzi, Chemba, Caia, Cherigoma, Chibabava, Dondo, Gorongosa, Morremeu, Marrigue , Muaza amd Nhamantanda).

Based on initial assessments from ACT member Comité Ecuménico para o Desenvolvimento Social (CEDES)/Ecumenical Committee for Social Development, 683 of those affected in Zambezia by the floods have been identified as orphans and vulnerable children, and 165 have been identified as elderly. Moreover, 286 classrooms have been total destroyed forcing more 2,450 children out of schools. The damage to agricultural lands is also very significant, with at least 83,813 hectares of crops such as maize, cassava, sorghum and millets flooded, affecting 53,318 small farmers whose livelihoods depends on farm produce.

Alerts_Mozambique_Cyclone Idai

On the morning of Friday the 15 March 2019, the province of Manicaland in Zimbabwe was hit by Cyclone Idai, causing massive floods that destroyed houses, swept away fields, uprooted trees, and demolished bridges. Cyclone Idai has triggered a massive disaster in Southern Africa affecting hundreds of thousands of people, with widespread flooding and devastation affecting Mozambique, Zimbabwe and Malawi. Cyclone Idai made landfall near the port city of Beira in Sofala province on Thursday with winds of up to 177 km/h (106 mph). In Zimbabwe, the government reported that 98 people have been killed and more than 200 missing as of today. Some rescuers said homes and bodies were washed away in the rivers to neighbouring Mozambique. At least 20,000 houses have been partially damaged in the south-eastern town of Chipinge, while 600 others were totally destroyed. The Government is struggling to cope with the huge influx of affected households as the country reels from economic problems. The affected households are now sheltered in churches and temporary structures set up by UN agencies. Several aid agencies are assisting government efforts in the search and rescue operations and in the distribution of food aid.

Alerts_Zimbabwe_Cyclone Idai

On the morning of Wednesday, the 6th March 2019, the Southern region of Malawi, was affected by severe flooding and put in a state of crisis. On Friday 8 March 2019, the President of Malawi, Arthur Peter Mutharika, declared a State of Disaster in areas affected by the heavy rains and flooding.

Already over 74,500 people are affected and more than 9 deaths have been reported.

Malawi government’s Department of Disaster Management Affairs DoDMA and other stakeholders are responding with food and non-food items.

ACT Malawi national Forum members Churches in Relief and Development (CARD) and Evangelical Lutheran Development Services (ELDS) are submitting a Rapid Response Fund to respond flood to affected persons.

Malawi_Floods Alert

During the night of Sunday the 27 January 2019, Strong winds and torrential rainfall battered parts of Cuba, including the capital city of Havana.  Amid the stormy weather, a powerful tornado ripped through parts of the city causing significant damages. The severe weather has been blamed for at least four deaths while more than 190 others have been h8ospitalized with varying injuries, according to Reuters.   The tornado has been classified as an F-3 by the Cuban Center for Meteorology, with estimated winds of 155-199 mph. The tornado is the strongest to strike Cuba in nearly 80 years, since a Category F4 tornado struck town of Bejucal in December 1940.

Other reports from the city indicated that cars were overturned, trees were uprooted, and homes were damaged by the severe weather. As of Monday afternoon, around 500,000 people were still without power and 200,000 were without water as emergency crews continued repairs following the storm. Damage to Hijas de Galicia Maternity Hospital forced patients and staff to evacuate shortly after the storm on Sunday night.  Dry weather is forecast in Havana from Wednesday into Friday, aiding in cleanup and recovery efforts following the storm.

The Cuban Council of Churches is monitoring the situation and its emergency team is preparing to respond according to the results of a contextual analysis and rapid needs assessment. The Cuban Council of Churches has previous work in the affected area and is assessing the impact of the disaster to better understand the needs and vulnerabilities. A RRF will be submitted to address the most pressing needs of the affected population.

Alerts_Tornado_Cuba

On January 25, 2019 a dam with more than 12 billion cubic meters of mineral debris has broken and another two were affected, all with tailings of the activity of iron mining, immediately reaching the Municipality of Brumadinho and then the Parque da Cachoeira reserve, in the State of Minas Gerais. According to the latest official data, 60 persons died, 760 households (3,800 persons) were directly affected and there are still hundreds of missing people. According to the authorities many of the missing are likely buried deep in mud. The risk of the Dam B6 which has 3-4 million cubic meters of water to collapse, led authorities to evacuated 5400 households (27,000 persons) from Brumadinho.

The impact on the soil of the ore tailings, the extent of the disaster along the rivers of the region and the contamination of the phreatic surface cannot yet be evaluated. There is an immediate impact on access to water for human consumption since the water distribution systems are affected and water is not safe for consumption for households that have not been evacuated. There are 760 families in a situation of helplessness with loss of relatives/friends and conditions to re-establish themselves in a psychosocially balanced way, in a process of care seeking to re-establish themselves. The effects of the mud torrent damaged 250 houses and destroyed 25.
A local commission was created with local and national authorities to offer more effective assistance, nevertheless the affected people were not included, avoiding their full participation and ownership, contrasting with the localisation principle. Brumadinho is only 62km from Belo Horizonte the capital of Minas Gerais and one of the main Brazilian cities. There is an alert on the high risk of the tailing reaching two important rivers: Paraopebas river and the São Francisco river.

ACT Alliance members in Brazil are monitoring the development of the situation and KOINONIA, a FEACT Brazil’s member with others local partners are planning to provide Psychosocial support and Food security. Other ACT Alliance local members will engage on the external dissemination and advocacy activities related to the disaster.

Alerts_Mudslides_Brazil

The humanitarian situation in Somalia continues to be unpredictable and volatile and is among the most complex and long-standing protracted crisis in the world.

It is predicted that at least a third (4.2 million) of Somalia’s (12.3 million) people will require humanitarian and protection services in 2019. This is according to UNOCHA’s 2019 Humanitarian Response Plan which also states that out of 4.2 million persons in need, at least 2.6 million are internally displaced persons (IDPs) living in camps across the country.

Children account for at least 60 % of IDPs population, many of who face specific protection risks such as family separation, forced child labor, sexual exploitation, and abuse. The dire situation is further compounded for the internally displaced persons more specifically for people of an ethnic minority because they are the most vulnerable. Addressing displacement in Somalia is made more challenging due to complex governance challenges.

Insecurity is the main cause behind internal displacement, and this insecurity stems from the armed conflict between militia groups and government/AMISOM forces. Perennial droughts and climatic shocks also significantly contribute to internal displacement.

Displaced persons living in overcrowded camps need Water and sanitation facilities, Education and protection services, particularly targeting women and children. Among host communities, there is an equal need for basic humanitarian needs.

Among hosting communities, climate change shocks (like drought and floods) have resulted in the destruction of valuable assets for farmers and pastoralists who need self-reliance initiatives such rehabilitation of farmland, support for farm inputs, training of best agronomic practices to improve their coping mechanism and survivals. In addition, poor rainfall Deyr rains (Oct-Dec 2018) that were reported to be below average has robbed the gains of above average Gu rains (April-June 2018).

There is a pressing necessity to provide immediate assistance to minimize loss of life and to ensure that the needs of the most vulnerable are covered first.

ACT Somalia Forum members Diakonia Sweden, DKH, LWF and NCA are planning to submit an appeal to support needs in the areas of WASH, Education, and Resilience Building initiatives.

Somalia_Emergency Response to Humanitarian Crisis (Call For Action).