Philippines RRF 11/2024: Emergency Response to People Affected by the combined effects of Typhoon Carina and Enhanced Southwest Monsoon

The Southwest Monsoon brought light to moderate rains in the Philippines since 11 July 2024. However, this was intensified by the Tropical Depression (TD) Prapiroon (locally named Butchoy) that entered on July 19, and traversed Southern Luzon. While TD Prapiroon left the Philippine Area of Responsibility (PAR) on the next day, it still strengthened the impacts of the monsoon rains. It was then closely followed by Typhoon Gaemi (locally named Carina) that entered the PAR on July 21. It intensified as it moved north-westward across Luzon to the West Philippine Sea from July 22 to 23.

The impacts of the Southwest Monsoon, enhanced by TD Prapiroon and TY Gaemi, brought intense to torrential rains and devastating floods over the majority of Luzon, and some parts of Visayas and Mindanao.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) a total of 183,64 families or 882,861 individuals affected in 686 villages in 15 administrative regions. From which, 35,388 persons are evacuated in government-designated evacuation centers, while 576,936 persons are outside evacuation centers. The Council also reported eight deaths, two injured, and one missing.

The initial findings from the rapid assessment underscored the following needs: Food, potable water, Cleaning materials, Shelter repair kits, Psychosocial intervention.

With the support from RRF, The NCCP plans to respond to the immediate needs of the communities through Food and Unconditional Cash Transfer in the areas of Pampanga and Tarlac (Region 3); Cavite and Rizal (Region 4A).

RRF 11 2024 Philippines Floods

Sudan: ACT/CI Integrated Humanitarian Response to IDPs, Refugees, and Host Communities in Sudan – EA 20/2024 – SUDAN/ SDN241

The crisis in Sudan is having devastating consequences for millions of people across the country. Time is running out for millions of people in Sudan who are at imminent risk of famine, displaced from their lands, living under bombardments, and cut off from humanitarian assistance.

Since the conflict broke out in April 2023, almost 7.3 million people have been internally displaced across the country, bringing the total number of people displaced in Sudan to almost 10.1 million. To respond to some of the immediate needs of IDPs, Refugees, and host communities in Sudan, in close consultation with the Bishops of Sudan, CAFOD, and NCA, coordinated with the CI secretariat in Rome and ACT Alliance and agreed to launch the joint appeal.

Caritas Internationalis in consortia with ACT Alliance and through CAFOD and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) have joined forces to launch a new Emergency Appeal (EA 20/2024 Sudan/ SDN241) to scale up the response to the disastrous humanitarian situation exacerbated by the internal conflict since 2023 and which have put now 25 million people (half of Sudan’s population) in extremely dire conditions.

This appeal seeks to secure continued support for the IDPs, refugees, and host communities in North Darfur, Gedaref, White Nile, North Kordofan, River Nile, and Khartoum. The lead agency for implementation of the Appeal is CAFOD and NCA in partnership with local partners.
The timeframe of EA 20/2024 Sudan/SDN241 is 12 months, from September 1st, 2024 to August 31st, 2025. It will reach 98,322 individuals (3.195 HHs) IDPs, Refugees and Host Communities affected by crisis.
The Overall objective: Crisis affected Internally Displaced Persons, host communities and Refugees in North Darfur, Gedaref, White Nile, North Kordofan, River Nile, and Khartoum have access to multisectoral humanitarian response through the provision of WASH, GBV, and multi-purpose cash assistance services that improve their health, well-being, and dignity and to save their lives.
The EA aims to achieve the following results:
Result 1: Multi-purpose Cash Assistance delivered to 3.195 households
Result 2: WASH services delivered to 98.322 individuals (56.043 Female and 42.279male)
Result 3: Protection quality multisectorial services delivered to 15.680 individuals (Women 6.272, Men 3.136, Girls 4.704 and Boys 1.568).
Please note that this joint EA has been coordinated with Caritas Sudan and is complementary to the ongoing EA 36/2023 SUDAN and for which CAFOD is the facilitating partner, and the ACT Alliance appeal SDN231. The scale and impact of the Humanitarian situation is so grave that scaling up through collaboration with other international and national actors was needed to be able to reach more communities in need.
The budget requested for the Emergency Appeal is 2.197.186 EUR

RRF 09/2024 – Emergency response to the people affected by floods in El Salvador

In El Salvador, the storm began on June 14 , causing flooding, rising rivers, storm surges, landslides, and deaths. As of June 21, heavy rains have caused at least 19 deaths, and the country remains flooded. A State of Emergency has been declared for 15 days (effective July 1) to mitigate further risks.

In response to the severe weather, the State of Emergency was decreed on June 16, establishing immediate measures to protect food and nutritional security, create adequate shelter conditions for evacuees, and prevent negative impacts on national production, especially in agriculture, agro-industry, and livestock. Authorities remain on alert due to reports from the US National Hurricane Center, given El Salvador’s vulnerability to climate change.

The overflow of the Jalponga, Jiboa, and Paz rivers has led to the evacuation of over 450 families across various communities, including Hoja de Sal, San José Luna, and Astoria. Additionally, there have been 790 reports of infrastructure damage and 507 affected homes, with fatalities from a landslide in Tacuba. Flooding in Puerto Parada and agricultural losses in Sonsonate and El Paisnal have further exacerbated the situation, destroying hundreds of hectares of crops such as loroco, banana, corn, and pipianes. River overflows in Sonsonate have destroyed over 230 manzanas (approximately 160 hectares) of crops, while in El Paisnal, San Salvador, the Lempa River’s overflow has led to the loss of 250 manzanas (around 174 hectares) of crops.

Humanitarian needs are pressing, with Situation Report No. 10 from the General Directorate of Civil Protection reporting 7,116 people affected, 19 deaths, 19 injuries, 2 missing persons, 4,050 evacuees, 2,789 sheltered individuals, and 237 evacuated but not sheltered. There have been 1,379 incidents related to overflows, fallen trees, landslides, and sinkholes. Urgent humanitarian needs include food, hygiene kits, clothing, sanitation products, and items for babies and pregnant women.

ALFALIT will be leading this emergency response, with the support of professional staff from the LWF, SLS, CAID, and CREDHO in terms of coordination, quality programming, and monitoring. The project will last for one month and will reach 500 families affected by the climate phenomenon through cash transfers.

RRF 09 2024 El Salvador Floods

RRF 08/2024 – Zimbabwe Responding to Drought

Zimbabwe is experiencing a severe drought due to significant below average rainfall.

On 4th April 2024, the president of Zimbabwe declared drought a national disaster as the El Nino induced dry weather conditions have resulted in widespread food insecurity among drought affected rural communities who heavily rely on agriculture.

Two ACT Zimbabwe national members with support from ACT Church of Sweden are intending to support 4,000 people in the affected districts with Cash Transfer interventions among out important initiatives.

RRF 08 2024 Zimbabwe Drought Addtl

RRF 07 2024 – Zimbabwe Responding to Drought

Zimbabwe is experiencing a severe drought due to significant below-average rainfall experienced during the last rainy season October 2023– March 2024 (ReliefWeb).

The country received less than 20% of the typical rainfall expected during this season. El Niño events in Zimbabwe appears every two to six years and have been associated with prolonged dry spells, reduced rainfall, and increased temperatures.  Water shortages and loss of crops are often the effect, affecting food security and livelihoods.  On 4th April 2024, the president of Zimbabwe declared drought a national disaster in Zimbabwe (BBC). All 72 districts are affected in varying degrees with 30/72 being the most affected (OCHA, 5 May 2024).

ACT Zimbabwe National Member MEDra is planning to respond using RRF funds through providing unconditional cash / Vouchers to 1440 people, implement WASH activities and provide Psycho social Support over the period of 3 months.

RRF 07 2024 Zimbabwe Drought

RRF 06/2024 – Malawi: Emergency Response to El Niño

The Government of Malawi declared a state of disaster due to drought, brought about by a dry season.

The Government of Malawi estimates that about nine million people have been affected by drought, which has been considered as the worst in years, with February 2024 recorded as the driest and hottest month since 1981 (SADC Regional Humanitarian Appeal, May 2024). The drought has been persistent in the southern Africa regions affecting the whole Zambesi basin (JRC Global Drought Observatory, Drought in Southern Africa, April 2024).

Churches Action in Relief and Development (CARD) and Evangelical Lutheran Development Service (ELDS) in Malawi are planning to respond to the drought using Rapid Response Funds to support people affected by the drought.

The project will target women and children headed households, people with disabilities, the elderly and chronically ill among other vulnerable groups.

RRF 06 2024 Malawi Drought

Lebanon: Responding to the conflict in Southern Lebanon- LEB241

The escalating conflict in Gaza that started on the 7th of October has impacted the whole Middle East region, with cross-border incidents into Lebanon. Daily clashes have been reported over the Blue Line, the demarcation line on Lebanon’s southern border since 8th of October.
As of 18 April, 92,621 individuals (51% females) have been displaced from south Lebanon due to the ongoing hostilities along the Blue Line. The Lebanese Ministry of Public Health (MoPH) has reported a total of 340 killed and 1,324 people wounded. It is estimated that at least 60,000 persons have remained in border villages and are highly affected by exchanges of fire while having lost livelihoods and income.  The socio-economic frailty of communities, especially those in difficult-to-access locations dependent on agriculture, has intensified due to the continued hostilities. As the situation deteriorates, the ability of those lacking social protection (refugees, women and girls, PwD) to ensure the dignity will decline, increasing dependence on service providers, exposing them to exploitation and abuse.
Satellite images reveal that fires ignited by shelling, the usage of white phosphorous and flare bombs used have ravaged 790 hectares of land in southern Lebanon, estimated to have killed more than 50,000 olive trees. The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that 63% of farmers have had difficulty accessing their fields safely, while 26% have had to leave their agricultural lands altogether due to displacement. Moreover, 23% of farmers have seen a reduction in their crop yields. Transportation of agricultural goods also presents a challenge for 85% of farming households.
ACT Lebanon Forum members Christian Aid, DanChurchAid, DSPR- JCC, Middle East Council of Churches (MECC) and Norwegian Church Aid (NCA) are responding to this conflict with an appeal to raise USD 1.5M USD for responding to the urgent needs with special focus on people who have been directly affected by the current conflict in the South of Lebanon.

RRF 04/2024 – Indonesia: Emergency assistance for Population Affected by Mount Ruang Eruption, Sitaro District – North Sulawesi

On Tuesday, April 30, 2024 at 02:35 WITA, Mount Ruang in Sitaro Regency, North Sulawesi, Indonesia erupted with a maximum amplitude of 55 mm and a temporary duration of ± 10 minutes. This eruption was a continuation from the April 16 eruption.
Based on the government’s report and initial assessment, the disaster indicates a moderate impact and is categorised as medium-scale emergency. Around 20,000 people from 12 villages in Tagulandang Resort are greatly affected by this eruption. Communities within a radius of 4-6 km from Mount Ruang have evacuated independently, including those from Bahoi Village, Balehumara Village, Barangka Pahe Village, Mahangian Village, Tulusan Village, Lesa Village and Lesa Rende Village. People were displaced in Sitaro Regency and North Minahasa Regency.
Volcanic ash covered the roads and houses by 2-5 cm, hampering the activities of the community. It also covered several airports around the North Sulawesi region including Sam Ratulangi Manado Airport, Djalaludin Gorontalo Airport, Melonguane Airport, Siau Airport, and Naha Airport, causing access to the North Sulawesi region to be impassable by air for the next couple of days. According to initial assessments, Food, NFIs, Health and protection are the main needs for the people in the IDPs camps.

ACT alliance members PELKESI and YEU with the support from RRF will be providing primary health care services, distribution of health kits, food packages, Shelter kits and psycho-social support to kids. The project is targeting around 6000 beneficiaries in the affected areas of Sitaro district.

RRF 04 2024 Indonesia Volcanic Eruption

RRF 03/2024 – Emergency Response to the affected population by the floods in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

Rio Grande do Sul, in southern Brazil, has experienced heavy rains that have flooded 452 municipalities. As of May 15, 2024, these floods have affected over 2 million people, resulting in 538,126 displaced, 76,588 in shelters, approximately 806 injured, 149 confirmed deaths, and 108 missing persons (Civil Defense Bulletin of the State of Rio Grande do Sul).

In early May, continuous heavy rains in Porto Alegre, the Metropolitan Region, and the Vale do Rio Pardo led to the declaration of a state of public calamity on May 2. Porto Alegre, with 1.3 million inhabitants, has 157,000 affected people. Approximately 1.2 million people in Rio Grande do Sul are without electricity. Among the 149 deceased, 103 have been identified, including 37 from the Porto Alegre Metropolitan Region, encompassing various age groups from children to the elderly.

Initial estimates suggest an economic impact of at least USD 2.5 billion, which is expected to grow as more storms are forecasted. The agriculture sector is significantly affected, with soybean prices rising due to harvest reduction fears, and potential impacts on rice, beans, pork, and poultry production. The floods have destroyed homes, workplaces, roads, bridges, and essential infrastructure and services such as drinking water, power supply, and communication.

The situation worsened on May 13 with renewed rains and rising river levels, causing further evacuations of many residents who had previously returned home. This flood is the largest in the history of Rio Grande do Sul. By Monday, May 13, rainfall in Porto Alegre reached 341.7 millimeters for the month, far exceeding the average May rainfall of 113 millimeters (National Institute of Meteorology Inmet).

Civil Defense has issued alerts for most of the state’s river basins, projecting water levels to exceed flood thresholds. The Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul (UFGRS) warns of further rises in water levels due to rainfall and wind effects, with the Guaíba River’s levels expected to exceed 5 meters.

According to a needs assessment conducted by the Fundação Luterana de Diaconia (FLD), the most urgent humanitarian needs are identified in the sectors of food assistance, WASH, and Community-Based Psychosocial Support (CBPS). This action, to be implemented by the FLD, aims to assist 556 families affected by the floods, directly benefiting over 2,780 people. These beneficiaries include women involved in the solidarity economy, waste collectors, indigenous Guarani and Kaingang communities, quilombola communities, and agroecological family farmers in the three most affected regions of the state: the Metropolitan Region, Vale dos Sinos, and Vale do Rio Pardo, over a three-month period.

RRF 03 2024 Brazil floods

RRF02/2024 -Philippines- Emergency response to rural communities affected by severe drought (El Niño) in the Philippines

The Philippines is currently facing a catastrophic drought, one of the slow-onset effects of climate change, along with other climate impact drivers such as rising sea levels, increased precipitation, stronger wind patterns, and typhoons. This catastrophic drought is driven by the 2023-24 El Niño, which is, according to the United Nations weather agency, one of the five strongest on record.

Climate Change Commission defines Drought as a decrease of 21 to 60 percent in rain occurrences for five consecutive months, or below normal rainfall conditions for three consecutive months. Additionally, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geographical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on March 25 that 37 provinces have experienced drought conditions (3 consecutive months of way below normal rainfall conditions/more than 60% reduction from rainfall average), 22 provinces with dry spell (3 consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition/21%-60% reduction from rainfall average) and 12 provinces with dry condition (2 consecutive months of below normal rainfall condition).

Five (5) provinces declared a state of calamities due to the worst effects of drought in their area, namely Occidental Mindoro (IV-B), Negros Occidental (VI), Sultan Kudarat (XII), and Maguinadanao Del Norte, Maguindanao Del Sur (BARMM). Besides these provinces, 34 local government units also declared a state of calamity.

According to the data released by the Philippines Department of Social Welfare and Development (DSWD) Disaster Response Operations Monitoring and Information Center (DROMIC), as of 24 April 2024, there were 531,114 families or 2,283,636 persons affected in 3,053 villages in 11 Regions.

Food and other livelihood support is the main need of the time. It is expected that the need for food and livelihood support in the affected areas is going to increase.

ACT Alliance member National Counsel of Churches in Philippines (NCCP)  with the support from RRF mechanism addressing the urgent needs by providing food packs to 2,400 households, distribution of multi-purpose cash assistance to 300 households and Construction of 2 water pumps/deep wells for 2 communities. link to the detailed proposal attached below.

NCCP_ACT-RRF-Proposal-El Nino Drought