In 2015 and 2016, Malawi experienced the El Niño weather phenomenon, manifested by poor distribution of rainfall and prolonged dry conditions, which resulted in delayed planting and poor crop development. The Malawi Vulnerability Assessment Committee (MVAC) report of June 2016 showed that a minimum of 6.5 million people (39% of Malawi’s population) will not be able to meet their annual food requirements during the 2016/17 consumption period, in 24 of the Malawi’s 28 Districts. This protracted drought was combined with floods in some areas of Malawi, which have also increased the risk of water-borne disease outbreaks.

The most critically affected Districts are the following: Balaka, Chikwawa, Kasungu, Nkhota-kota, Dedza, Dowa, Mchinji, Mulanje, Nsanje, Phalombe, Thyolo, Mangochi, Neno, Ntcheu, Salima, Mzimba, Rumphi, Ntchisi, Chiradzulu, Machinga, Mwanza, Blantyre, Lilongwe and Zomba.

Alerts_Severe Drought in Malawi

Since the beginning of 2015 a mass influx of people seeking asylum in Europe or a better life have been travelling into Europe in increasing numbers. The number of asylum seekers has constantly risen from a few thousand in 2014 to over a million entering Europe in 2015. While the number of people entering Europe via the Balkans has fallen since the second quarter of 2016, there are still significant numbers of people arriving daily in countries along the route. Many people are now staying in the countries of arrival in Europe and not moving further, which has caused both governments and NGOs to respond to new needs or respond to the needs in a different way (at least in the semi-long term), including more integration, education and other services.

Alerts_21_2016_Europe_Support to Refugees and Migrants

As of 30^th July 2016, 14 people have died and over 340,000 households in 16 districts have been severely affected by the continuing heavy rains during the last few days which has caused floods in Northern – Central parts of Bangladesh.  The continuing downpour and rising waters have now exacerbated an already bad situation.

As of 1^st August 2016 (reliefweb)^,  the rivers Dharla, Ghagot, Brahmaputra, Jamuna, Gur, Atrai, Dhaleswari, Lakhya, Kaliganga, Dhaleswari, Padma and Titasare have been all flowing above the danger level by 62 cm on average and in some places as high as 137 cm.

According to Flood Forecasting & Warning Centre and Bangladesh Water Development Board (BWBD), rising water level in several major rivers will keep exacerbating the flood situation in the next 24 – 48 hours particularly in the low lying areas adjacent to Rajbari, Manikganj, Munshiganj and Sariotpur districts as well as Dhaka city.

Alerts_20_2016_Floods_in_Northern_and_Central_Bangladesh

Heavy torrential rains during the last few days have caused floods in North-Eastern states of India. The flood situation continues to remain grim in Assam and Arunachal Pradesh.  As of the 24^th of July, so far 7 people have died and over 600,000 people have been affected in Assam, while over 100 households in Arunachal Pradesh were rendered homeless. The Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA) reported that over 50,000 people in 130 villages have been affected. About 1,206 villages in 14 districts have been affected by the deluge, with Bongaigaon, Kokrajhar, Laxmipurt, Goalpara and Tinsukia being the worst affected districts. So far, nearly 46,680 hectares of crop area have been inundated by flood water (Indian Express).

Alerts_19_2016_Flooding in North-Eastern State of Assam, India

On July 9^th renewed clashes broke out in the South Sudanese capital of Juba due to a reported power struggle between the Sudan People’s Liberation Army (SPLA) in the government and the SPLA opposition. Hundreds of people have been killed in the fighting between rival armed groups, raising fears of a slide back into full blown conflict. The recent clashes have triggered  massive influx of South Sudanese refugees into Adjumani Refugee Settlement in Uganda. Majority of the refugees are entering through Elegu Border Point which is managed by Lutheran World Federation (LWF). Following the days of the clashes in Juba (July 12th 2016) Elegu Border Point has received over 14,100 new arrivals with about 13,000 of them arriving between the three day period of 17^th and 20^th of July. Refugees cite the fragile security situation, fighting, torture, forceful recruitment of youths, looting of properties and hunger as reasons for fleeing to Uganda. Women and children constitute 90 percent of new arrivals.

Alerts_18_2016_ Uganda_ influx of South Sudanese refugees

People in the state of Madhya Pradesh have been struggling with one of the worst flood situations due to heavy rainfall for past few days. Rivers are over flowing, washing away bridges, breaching embankments, marooning villages. The state capital of Bhopal city has also reported extensive water logging. The slum dwellers of the city have been the worst affected. According to media sources (Indian Express), 22 people have died so far due to the floods and 9 persons are reported missing. An estimated 2,360 houses have been completely damaged and 17,236 houses have been partially damaged. A total of 332,400 persons have been affected due to floods in Madhya Pradesh. The Indian Meteorological Department, in Bhopal, predicted that there will be further rain and thunder showers are likely to occur at most places over Madhya Pradesh in next 24 hours, potentially exacerbating the situation.

Alerts_17_2016_Flooding in India – Madhya Pradesh

As a result of the armed conflict in Eastern Ukraine thousands of people were forced to leave their homes in Ukraine. The number of displaced people continues to increase. By 04 July, 2016, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine (MoSP) had registered 1,790,267 internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Ukraine and 3.1 million people are in need of some form of humanitarian assistance. As of 20th June 2016, the UNHCR reported 1,389,452 Ukrainians are seeking – or already received – asylum or refuge in other countries. Out of these – 1,092,212 are in Russia and 139,143 in Belarus. Others are in Moldova, Romania, Hungary and Slovakia. As a consequence people who reside along contact line have difficulty accessing basic necessities like food, clean water, medicines, medical services and other basic services. Since the beginning of the conflict in 2014 at least 9,449 people have been killed and another 21,843 have been wounded.

Alerts_16_2016_Ukraine_Russia_ IDPs_and Refugees

On Thursday, the 30th of June, several cloudbursts caused heavy rainfalls – recorded over 100mm within two hours – which subsequently lead to flooding and landslides in Uttarakhand which were responsible for killing at least 30 people in Pithoragarh and Chamoli districts. Several people are missing and feared to have been washed away in a crisis that brought back memories of the deadly floods in 2013 which claimed nearly 6,000 lives. According to officials from the District Disaster Mitigation and Management Center, in Pithoragarh, eight people were killed due to landslides while in Chamoli, there are five people have died. The incessant rains have halted movement on the Thal-Munsyari road and the Rishikesh-Badrinath National Highway while in Chamoli, the Alaknanda river has surpassed its danger mark. The India Meteorological Department (IMD) issued a yellow code warning for next few days, indicating an alert for the same. It has forecasted that heavy to very heavy rainfall is very likely in isolated places. As per the Meteorological department’s benchmarks, this means that there will be rainfall in the range of 60mm-120mm. The alert has been issued for the districts of Nainital, Udhamsingh Nagar, Champawat, Almora, Dehdraun, Uttarkashi, Pauri, Haridwar and Tehri for the next 72 hours. So far, 10 dead bodies have been recovered, while about 17 people are still buried under the debris. In four villages of Chamoli district, six people were killed, while three others are missing.

Alerts_15_2016_India_Flooding and Landslides

Now more than a year since Burundi’s current crisis began, more than 140,000 women, children and men remain in refugee camps in Tanzania and are unable to return home.  The situation inside Burundi continues to worsen.  A low intensity urban conflict is spreading progressively from Bujumbura to other provinces, resulting in targeted assassinations, torture, harassments and abuses.^[1]  Coupled with an economic collapse brought on by the conflict, this makes it virtually impossible for displaced Burundians to return home safely.

On average 100 refugees from Burundi are still entering in Tanzania every day while 140,448 Burundian refugees are currently living in Nyarugusu, Nduta and Mtendeli camps in Kigoma region. As many informants from UNHCR, INGOs and refugee leaders suggest, a quick solution to the current political crisis in Burundi and the short-term repatriation of refugees are unlikely. The current refugee situation is developing into a protracted crisis that will plausibly last for several years.

Alerts_07_2016_Scale Up Burundian refugee crisis in Tanzania

On June 19, 2016, life has become unbearable for people in Zota District in Bong County as thousands of very dangerous and destructive insects called army worms invaded towns and villages resulting in the destruction of crops, contaminating drinking water and causing residents to flee. So far, according to information gathered, 12 towns have been affected. Agricultural activities have ceased in these towns, as the people are unable to carry out their farming activities due to the overwhelming presence of these worms; more specifically, people who have contact with the worms develop abscesses (skin sores). If nothing is done to contain the spread of these worms, it can be expected that food insecurity and malnutrition will result because the affected towns and communities will not be able to carry out farming activities this year.

Alerts_06_2016_Liberia_Worm Invasion