News Listing

Affected country: Malawi
Glide: DR-2024-000069-MWI
About nine million people in Malawi are reeling from the devastating impacts of El Niño-induced floods and drought, which are destroying harvests and causing hunger to soar to crisis levels ... An El Niño-induced drought has severely affected this season’s maize harvest, resulting in a forecast 45 percent decline against the five-year average and exacerbating food insecurity, and about 40 percent of the population could be facing acute hunger by the end of year because of the drought. In addition, about 14,000 people were displaced by floods and landslides in the northern part of the country. On 25 March, the President of Malawi declared a national disaster. The National Response Plan launched in April estimates the needs at US$449 million. Similarly, neighbouring countries of Zambia and Zimbabwe have also declared national drought emergencies. (CCC, FAO, Gov't of Malawi, OCHA, WFP 13 May 2024)

Affected country: Cuba
Glide: FL-2024-000043-CUB
On 23 March Cuba experienced intense rains and local thunderstorms that have swept through the entire western and central regions of the country before advancing towards the Eastern Region later that afternoon. The provinces most severely impacted thus far are Artemisa, Mayabeque, Matanzas, and Havana. Havana, in particular, has witnessed significant incidents of severe flooding, caused by the overflowing of the Luyano River. The torrential downpours have inflicted damage across various sectors, including infrastructure, with partial and total roof collapses, disruptions to the power grid affecting over 270,000 individuals, agricultural losses, and livelihood setbacks. As of 25 March, the UN Country Team in Cuba has reported the evacuation of nearly 1,000 individuals in the capital, primarily due to multiple landslides. (IFRC, 6 Apr 2024)

Affected country: Afghanistan
Glide: CW-2024-000025-AFG
On 3 March 2024, the Afghan Red Crescent Society (ARCS) under the auspices of the Vice President convened an Emergency Task Force Meeting in response to the heavy snowfall and extreme cold temperatures that affected several high-altitude provinces of Afghanistan during the first week of March. The event resulted in casualties, heavy losses of livestock, blocked roads, and disruption to economic activities among other challenges. According to public authorities, news agencies, and the ARCS, at least 35 human lives have been lost, dozens of people injured, and thousands of livestock perished, depriving affected households of their livelihoods due to the heavy snowfall and cold temperatures. The provinces most affected include Badakhshan, Badghis, Balkh, Farah, Faryab, Ghor, Herat, Jawzjan, Kunduz, Nuristan, Sar-e-Pul, Uruzgan, and Zabul. The March 2024 event is almost reminiscent of the cold wave of January 2023 in terms of scale, but the impacts are considered more severe. According to ECHO, temperatures plummeted to as low as -33 degrees in provinces like Ghor, and over 70,000 cattle perished across several provinces and also causing 70 deaths.Prior to the cold wave in early March, on 19 February 2024, a landslide triggered by heavy snowfall claimed 25 lives, destroyed at least 20 homes, and displaced 350 households in the province of Nuristan. (IFRC, 21 Mar 2024)

Affected country: Afghanistan
Glide: FL-2024-000038-AFG
Heavy rainfall across Afghanistan on 29 and 30 March has destroyed more than 1,500 acres of agricultural land and resulted in severe damage to over 540 homes, as well as other critical infrastructure across seven provinces, including six bridges and 450 km of road.
Based on initial reports and assessments, the provinces where most damage has been reported are Faryab province in the Northern region, Nangarhar province in the Eastern region, and Daikundi province in the Central Highlands region.
This is the third time that the Northern region has experienced flooding in less than a month, with seven people killed and 384 families affected in heavy rains that occurred on 21 and 26-27 March. As of 30 March, there have been no reports of displacement due to the floods. (OCHA, 30 Mar 2024)

Affected country: Iraq
Glide: FL-2024-000035-IRQ
Flash floods caused by heavy rainfall swept through Iraq’s Dohuk governorate on Tuesday 19 March. As per the Civil Defense Directorate spokesperson, heavy rains caused water inundation across the city, leading to transportation disruptions, and raising concerns about potential floodings, as forecasted by the regional meteorology department. In addition, the mudslides rush down to the roads and Duhok city suffers severe floods. This is caused by the receiving of 80 mm rainwater on Thursday in many districts across the KRI, and more rains are forecasted in the country. Current torrential rains and flooding also caused damage to pavements and road infrastructure. According to the authorities, 16 villages are affected by the floods and have been cut off from the main city due to the blockage of roads. Government authorities are responding and evacuating residents in areas prone to landslides and flash floodings. Heavy floods have also been reported in Erbil city.
The provinces of Diyala, Wassit and Maysan, due to their proximity to neighbouring Iran, also witnessed flooding in the past. The current rain spell resulted in small scale losses due to the flow of floods in the outskirts of Diyala governorate, Baldrouz and Al-Muqdadiyah provinces, where two families are affected. In Maysan, the torrential rains continue and floods flow in the outskirts of the province in rural areas. [...] Based on the initial assessment as reported by the Iraqi Red Crescent Society, an estimated number of 921 households were affected in Dohuk and Erbil governorates. (IFRC, 03 Apr 2024)

Affected country: Mozambique
Glide: TC-2024-000032-MOZ
The National Institute for Disaster Management (INGD) report that 48,116 people (8,533 households) were affected in the provinces of Gaza, Inhambane, Maputo and Sofala. Two deaths and 25 people injured have been reported. According to the information available, the most affected area is Maputo city with 25,455 people affected (2 percent of total population). Damage to infrastructure includes 8,000 houses partially/completely damaged, 146 schools (22,442 students) affected along with 51 health centres, 56 electric poles, and 19 roads affected. The highest humanitarian needs are in education, shelter/NFIs, water purification and hygiene kits. Infrastructure reconstruction/rehabilitation needs have also been identified. (OCHA, 15 Mar 2024)

Affected country: Argentina
Glide: FL-2024-000027-ARG
In the early hours of 3 March the Capital Department of the Province of Corrientes experienced a deluge of intense and prolonged rainfall, totaling over 300 mm within a span of less than 12 hours. This event set a historical record for the city and resulted in significant impacts in the City of Corrientes, including flooded streets and numerous homes submerged. The flooding affected a vast majority of the community, both in urban and suburban areas. Many households experienced water ingress ranging from 20 cm to 2 meters, even in the urban core. Although approximately 90% of the affected areas have been drained, initial recovery efforts are focused on cleaning, disinfection, and recovering lost belongings, a process expected to take several days in some instances. Particularly vulnerable areas such as the neighborhoods of Ciudades Correntinas, Quintana, Río Paraná, Anahí, La Olla, Ponce, Jardín, San Ignacio, Santa Rita Sur, Esperanza, and Molina Punta continue to face challenges due to geographical location, pre-existing drainage issues, and high levels of vulnerability. In the initial hours of the event, the local emergency response system encountered difficulties reaching affected areas due to the severity of the storm. However, rescue efforts intensified throughout the day, mobilizing more than 2,500 individuals, including municipal personnel, Civil Defense teams, federal forces, civil society organizations, and with support from the Argentine Red Cross. It is estimated that approximately 5,000 people have evacuated voluntarily, with 996 individuals relocated to temporary shelters. Although the number of evacuees has gradually decreased, some individuals still remain in official temporary shelters as of March 7. Meanwhile, many families have begun returning to their homes or seeking accommodation with relatives and neighbors. (IFRC, 18 Mar 2024)

Affected country: Burundi
Glide: FL-2024-000047-BDI
Due to the intense rainfall associated with the El Niño phenomenon, the water level of Lake Tanganyika surged, leading to flooding in communities across 39 hills in 9 communes of Bujumbura (Mutimbuzi and Kabezi communes), Mairie Province (Muha, Mukaza, and Ntahangwa communes), Rumonge Province (Muhuta, Bugarama, and Rumonge communes), and Makamba Province (Nyanza Lac commune). This event exacerbated the ongoing flood and landslide operations in Cibitoke and Bujumbura Mairie, affecting areas like Murwi, Buganda, and Rugombo in Cibutoke Province, as well as Kinama, Kanyosha, and Buterere in Bujumbura Mairie. Since March 12, 2024, the water level of Lake Tanganyika has risen by 776.76 meters, exceeding the normal level by 1.76 meters, marking the most severe increase in sixty years. In recent days, local residents have had to halt their activities, with some forced to evacuate as the lake continues to encroach upon inhabited areas. The rising waters of Lake Tanganyika have impacted 10 communes across 4 provinces, affecting all households in the vicinity. Currently, 162,356 people are at high risk, while 66,391 individuals are already in need of assistance. Comparing the current rise in water levels to those of 2021, observations suggest an increase of approximately 100cm. The Ministry of Environment and Agriculture has advised residents in affected areas to relocate to safer, non-flooded zones.(IFRC, 1 Apr 2024)
Heavy rainfall has been affecting most of Burundi over the last month, causing floods, landslides, rivers overflow and a significant rise in the water level of Lake Tanganyika, causing population displacement and widespread damage. The most affected areas are the western provinces of Bujumbura Mairie (where the capital Bujumbura is the most affected), Rumonge, Makamba and Cibitoke. The IFRC and media report, as of 19 April, approximately 100,000 displaced people, around 162,350 affected people and nearly 1,350 flooded houses in ten communes across the four abovementioned provinces. In addition, according to the IFRC, the port of Rumonge is reported to be flooded, and the port of Bujumbura as partially flooded. (ECHO, 19 Apr 2024)

Affected country: Algeria
Glide: FL-2024-000024-DZA
On February 29th, 2024, the Wilaya of Jijel experienced significant flooding incidents due to the heavy rainfall, in two specific areas: the AADL residencies and Al Ansar Daira. These incidents exacerbated existing challenges caused by the said heavy rainfall, as well as the fact that the areas are situated next to a valley that increased the damage with the high level of waters, and weak infrastructure in the most affected area. Roads in the affected areas were blocked by floodwaters, as well as commercial buildings and offices impeding transportation and causing disruptions to daily life. Additionally, the infrastructure sustained notable damage as a result of the flooding. Efforts to address the situation and provide assistance to affected residents were underway by the ARC, with authorities working to clear the blocked roads and damaged infrastructure. (IFRC, 15 Mar 2024)

Affected country: Peru
Glide: EP-2024-000023-PER
The accumulation of water from the rains and the high temperatures creates a breeding ground for diseases like dengue fever. In fact, the rise of dengue among the population led the Ministry of Health to declare a Health Emergency on 28 February in 20 regions (Supreme Decree Nº004-2024-SA). As of February 24th, the number of cases reached 34,042, more than two times the number of cases in 2023 (+131.7%). The regions with the most cases are La Libertad (6,148), Piura (5,275), Ica (4,645), Ancash (3,766) and Lima (2,899). Children and adolescents infected with dengue are more than 10,000, representing 29.6% of the infected population and 13.6% of the deaths by dengue (6 out of 44). (UNICEF, 8 Mar 2024)