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).

The Famine Early Warning Systems Network (FEWSNET) has warned that there is an increased probability of drought induced El Niño weather conditions expected in the Southern part of Africa; including Zimbabwe during the upcoming 2018/2019 agricultural season. Based on the El Niño forecast (Oct 2018-Jan 2019) and looking at similar trends in previous years, below-average rainfall and a late start of erratic rains will lead to crop failure.

The Zimbabwe Vulnerability Assessment Committee (ZIMVAC) 2018 report estimates that 1.5 million people in rural and urban areas will require food assistance during the lean season and currently communities in Matabeleland North, South and Masvingo are already in urgent need of food assistance. As the lean season intensifies food prices are also on the increase, especially staple cereal food items.

The drought situation in Zimbabwe is compounded by economic challenges in Zimbabwe as some households in deficit producing areas are already experiencing Crisis (IPC Phase 3). Households are already reducing the number of meals and portions of food taken per day and consuming less preferred foods as the 2018-19 lean season gets under way.

The emergency response is currently being coordinated by Zimbabwe Ministry of Labour and Social Welfare with support from UN Agencies who are currently doing Cash transfers and in-kind food distribution (WFP and FAO). Various District Governments in Zimbabwe are coordinating meetings with all stakeholders.

The ACT Zimbabwe forum members Christian Aid and Danish Church Aid are planning to submit a concept note to provide food assistance and protect the lives of livestock using mobile money transfers to ensure that the drought affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to food security and livestock protection. Furthermore, ACT Zimbabwe Forum will engage in advocacy on the national and international level to ensure that the voices of those affected by the drought are amplified.

Alert_Zimbabwe 2018 drought

During the night of Thursday the 15^th  November 2018, the state of Tamil Nadu in India, was affected by the Gaja Cyclone. Severe cyclonic storm “Gaja” crossed between Pondicherry and Nagapattinam with wind gusts up to 120 kilometres speed per hour. Nagapattinam, Cuddalore, Tiruvarur, Tanjavur, Pudukottai and Karaikal Districts are the most affected by this cyclone. As of 19^th November 2018, at least 45 people^[1] are feared dead and many people have also incurred injuries. Many trees have been uprooted. Significant number of Coconut and Banana Plantations have been destroyed. Thatched houses and tied houses have been damaged. Furthermore, as some of the affected areas are still not accessible, the clear number of houses damaged is yet to come. Many boats have been damaged in the coastal area of Vedaranyam of Nagapattinam Taluk. Around 80,000 families have been evacuated and are staying in 351 camps. In most of the places, they are still in the shelter. Moreover, around 20,000 electric poles have been damaged and this has caused electricity failure in many districts and fallen trees have blocked the roads, affecting the daily life of people in the area. Also, the essential services are affected due of the electricity cut and the poor road accessibility. It is also reported that some of the essential needs are not available in Temporary Shelters. The ACT India Forum members namely Church’s Auxiliary for Social Action (CASA),  United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India (UELCI), and United Evangelical Lutheran Churches in India LWSIT) are closely assessing the situation. Tamil Evangelical Lutheran Church and the Arcot Lutheran Church members of UELCI areas are spread across the affected areas and are involved in helping the government with evacuation work; around 3,000 families are accommodated in their churches and food has been provided. In some of the affected areas where CASA’s projects are operational, the forum is actively taking part in the supporting the government in evacuation and assessment. LWSIT is assessing the situation

The ACT India forum is planning on submitting Rapid Response Funding (RRF) proposal to provide lifesaving packages and humanitarian assistance to ensure that the cyclone affected persons’ basic needs are met with regards to clothing, non-cooked food items and temporary shelter materials. ACT Alliance is ready to respond, providing clothing and non-cooked food items in the coming days. Furthermore, ACT Alliance will engage in advocacy on the national and international level to ensure that the voices of those affected by the cyclone are amplified.

Alerts: Cyclone Gaja in India

[1]  European Commission’s Directorate-General for European Civil Protection and Humanitarian Aid Operations

Since December 2016, the two English speaking regions of Cameroon (South West and North West Regions) have been experiencing an alarming and growing situation of unrest and uncertainty. Following decades of marginalization, a strike by lawyers and teachers in October 2016 has degenerated into a severe socio-economic, political, and humanitarian crisis, disrupting education and leading to a drastic downturn in the economy in Anglophone Cameroon, resulting in increased poverty and insecurity.

Due to the fighting between separatist groups and the Cameroonian army, the region is seeing unprecedented levels of mass displacement. According to UN OCHA (August 2018), there are at least 245,000 IDPs in the South West Region, equally as many in the North West Region, and at least 21’000 refugees in Nigeria, with many living with family in the francophone part of the country.

As a result of fighting, villages are burnt down and destroyed, education facilities and farms as well, putting the next harvest at stake. A famine of critical dimension is foreseeable, and many communities have lost all possibility of earning a living.

Mission 21, a new member of ACT Alliance, has set up an Ecumenical Relief and Rehabilitation Programme in Cameroon. Mission 21 is working together with its main partners, the Presbyterian Church in Cameroon (PCC) as well as the Cameroon Baptist Convention (CBC) on food and non-food items distribution and income generating projects for IDPs within the most affected areas of the two Anglophone regions. The program is coordinating closely with UN-OCHA and the ICRC and other stakeholders involved in the response.

Alert_Cameroon

In the morning of Monday the 15 October 2018, the region of Kasai in the Democratic Republic of Congo, was faced with a fast-developing humanitarian situation following the expulsion of more than 257,872 Congolese from Angola between 1st and 15th October 2018.

In a media briefing in Geneva, the UNHCR indicated that Congolese people are returning to a fragile Kasai Region that is still suffering from the impact of the 2016/17 conflict. According to local media reports, Congolese nationals were given up to 15th October 2018 to leave Angola. The returnees entered DRC through many entry points, the main one being Kamako in Kasai Province and Luambo in Kasai Central Province.

According to UNOCHA, the expulsion of Congolese from Angola follows the decision of the Angola government to ban artisanal mining which many Congolese were involved in as a source of livelihood while in Angola.

Unfortunately, people are returning with and to nothing, with many currently housed in churches, schools, makeshift shelters or with host communities in the region of Kasai. The people are returning to a region that has had waves of communal violence, a region that remains fragile where many are still facing many unmet needs.

The dire situation is further compounded for returnees who are already vulnerable; women and girls who are living in the open are at risk of gender-based violence. Pregnant and lactating women are at risk of lack of food, children (especially those under 5) are at risk of malnutrition.

The ACT DRC Forum will establish an open line of communication with crisis affected persons and communities to ensure a humanitarian response based on participation, inclusion and feedback. ACT DRC Forum members namely Lutheran World Federation (LWF), Christian AID (CA), BOAD, Salvation Army, Eglise Evangelique Lutherienne du Congo (EELC) and Church of Christ in Congo (CCC).will jointly apply for a Kasai Revised Appeal.

In collaboration with relevant stakeholders, ACT DRC forum has identified a gap in Nutrition, WASH, Safe Shelter, food, NFI’s, livelihoods, food security, Protection, Community Based Psycho social Support and education and has resolved that if funded, it will have the capacity to properly bridge the identified gap.

Alert_ Kasai DRC

By 31 October 2018, the Syria crisis remains the largest refugee crisis with 5,631,309 registered refugees by UNHCR in Lebanon, Jordan, Turkey, Iraq and Egypt.  While UN agencies reports on    Syria reflect that amidst an intensification of hostilities in multiple locations notably Idleb, Afrin, East Ghouta, southern Damascus, northern rural Homs and parts of north east Syria, the first six months of 2018 witnessed 1.2 million population displaced as civilians sought to escape to avoid the effects of conflict. (HNO 2018)  Some 6.1 million people remained long-term displaced across Syria.  As UNOCHA stated in the  midyear HRP report for 2018: “the overall scale, scope and complexity of humanitarian needs of people in Syria remain staggering in terms of magnitude and severity with an estimated 13 million people in need across the country, of whom 5.6million are in areas of acute need”. (UNHCR 2017, OCHA 2017) The pace of displacement remains relentless, with hundreds and thousands of families displaced internally for the second or third time. While according to the (regional) 3RP 2018 mid-year report, as the conflict in Syria entered its eighth year, neighbouring countries continue to contend with mounting demographic, economic, political, security and social pressures. Across the region, borders and admission practices remained closely managed, affecting the displacement ability of many individuals. Despite the exceptional generosity of host governments, the conditions of refugee families across the region remain extremely challenging and many refugee families have become increasingly vulnerable with each passing year of displacement: poverty rates exceed 60 per cent in some host countries and some 35 per cent of Syrian refugee children are out-of-school. (HNO 2018) Meanwhile, Palestinian refugees who are affected by the Syrian crisis continue to face particular vulnerabilities. It’s worth mentioning that the appeals and the response plans set by UN agencies and the host communities remain less than 50% funded. (3RP June 2018)   Therefore, SYR191 appeal remains a high priority for ACT members who are active in the region to be able to support refugees, internally displaced people as well as the host communities impacted by the crisis.

As part of the revision of the ACT Alliance Humanitarian Response Mechanism, a “Call for Action” is essentially the same as an “Alert”, but it applies to Complex emergencies only (category 3 in the ACT Revised Humanitarian Mechanism). For further information on the Revised Humanitarian Response Mechanism, please refer to its online toolkit: https://actlearn.org/course/view.php?id=236

Call-4-Action_Syria_Humanitarian Crisis