Cuba – Drought
• Lack of rain from May to June has affected 68% of the country (11 provinces).
• Authorities refer to the current drought as the worst in the last 115 years. In Guantanamo, water usually used for agriculture is now used for human consumption.
Haiti – Food insecurity
• The ongoing drought has led to an increase in the price of basic foodstuff, affecting severely poor households.
• Grand South, North West, High Artibonite, South East, North East and marginal urban areas in Port-au-Prince are considered in food crisis.
Mali – Violation of ceasefire
• The northern region of Kidal is experiencing a revival of violence since 16 August, in the first serious violation of the ceasefire agreement since the signature of the Algiers Peace Accord in June.
• The humanitarian situation in northern Mali remains difficult, with 1.5 million people dependent on emergency assistance.
Sudan – Food insecurity
• Increased mortality due to malnutrition is reported in South Kordofan State. People are reportedly eating grass, tree leaves and the seeds available, since drought is disrupting cultivation.
• Many areas of South Kordofan and Blue Nile States are inaccessible to humanitarian partners. The (unverified) number of people in need is estimated at 800,000.
India – Floods
• Heavy rainfall triggered floods in Assam, affecting approximately 200,000 people. According to the State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), seven districts have been affected and 45 relief camps have been opened, accommodating nearly 18,000 people, as of 19 August.
Caribbean – Tropical Cyclone DANNY
• On 20 August, at 9.00 UTC, DANNY’s centre was located 1,700 km east of Barbados.
• Over the next 48h, the Tropical Storm will move west-northwest, remaining far from land, and possibly intensifying into a Hurricane. It may approach the central Caribbean islands on 24 August. Currently, no coastal Watches or Warnings are in effect by NOAA.
• Many Caribbean islands are facing drought conditions and there are fears of increased damage in case of heavy rainfall.
Nigeria – Boko Haram insurgency
• As many as 160 people, including 60 children, drowned in a river, trying to flee Boko Haram militants who blocked the only escape route in the village of Kukuwa-Gari (Yobe State) and opened fire. The incident happened on 13 August.
• 15,000 people have been killed due to the Boko Haram insurgency since 2009. More than 1.5 million remain internally displaced.
Western Pacific – Tropical Cyclone GONI
• On 20 August, at 6.00 UTC, GONI’s centre was located 277 km east of Calayan Islands in northern Luzon (Philippines).
• Over the next 48h, the Typhoon will gradually turn north, east of Luzon’s islands, initially intensifying and then slightly weakening again. Subsequently, it will probably pass east of Taiwan and approach the southern Ryukyu islands of Japan on 23 August, as a strong Typhoon.
• Heavy rainfall, strong winds and storm surge will affect the areas along GONI’s path. As of 20 August, there are Public Storm Warning Signals #3 and #2 in effect for parts of northern Luzon and precautionary evacuations of 70 families have taken place.