ECHO Daily Flash

• Humanitarian organizations faced two security incidents in recent days. On 28 April, staff from a United Nations agency and a national non-governmental organization (NNGO) were physically assaulted by youth in separate incidents in Torit town, Eastern Equatoria. On 24 April, in Jamjang in Ruweng Administrative Area, youth entered an international NGO compound and physically attacked staff, resulting in multiple injuries. 
• Some humanitarian organizations in Torit have relocated staff to safer areas and many humanitarian activities have been suspended, including critical assistance in the areas of health and nutrition. UN peacekeepers were deployed to Ruweng to protect humanitarian workers and prevent further violence.
• South Sudan is one of the most dangerous places for humanitarian workers. In 2020, nine were killed while on duty (a three-fold increase compared to 2019), and four have already lost their life in 2021. All of them are South Sudanese nationals. 
• The Humanitarian Coordinator in South Sudan, Alain Noudéhou, has condemned the recent violent attacks, as vulnerable people’s humanitarian needs will deepen if aid workers are not able to safely resume their activities.

• On 26 of April, Colombia Humanitarian Response Plan for 2021 was launched. The plan requests USD 174 million to reach 1.4 million people with multisectoral humanitarian assistance.
• Some 6.7 million people are in need of humanitarian assistance, including 5.6 million in severe need, which represents an increase of 31.3% compared to last year.
• The COVID-19 pandemic and its socio-economic impact have exacerbated the humanitarian needs, with some 3.5 million people facing severe food insecurity. Women and children continue to be the most affected as well as ethnic minorities, such as indigenous communities in peripheral areas of the country.

• Heavy rainfall has been reported across Saint Vincent Island, causing lahars (mud and debris flow), compounding the situation in areas already affected by the eruptions of La Soufriere volcano (northern Saint Vincent).
• According to media reports, several lahar flows were recorded on all flanks of the volcano, resulting in damage to a number of houses and road infrastructure.
• In addition, flooding has been reported across Kingstown Capital City (southern Saint Vincent).
• According to the Caribbean Disaster Emergency Management Agency (CDEMA), a total of 13,303 persons have been displaced to public or private shelters due to volcanic activity, as of 26 April. The volcano continues to be at alert level Red.
• The National Emergency Management Organization (NEMO) has issued alerts for flooding and landslides in several areas on mainland Saint Vincent. Light to locally moderate rainfall could affect the island on 30 April - 1 May.

• Widespread floods triggered by the rising level of Lake Tanganyika continue to affect the coastal area of  western Burundi (including the Capital Bujumbura) since February, resulting in evacuations and damage. The worst affected are Rukaramu, Gatumba and Mutimbuzi Municipalities (Bujumbura Rural Province), located in the northern coastal area of the Lake.
• The  International Organization for Migration (IOM) reports, as of 29 April, more than 6,200 evacuated families across a number of collective centres and more than 30,000 affected people throughout the area.
• For the next 24 hours, more heavy rain is forecast over the whole country, including the already affected area.

• Ukraine: threshold level 2/3 for Stokhid river.

• Since 23 of April, at least three major attacks took place near the town La Victoria, allegedly by the dissident 10th front of the ex-Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia (FARC), targeting Venezuelan military helicopters, special forces and river patrols.
• Media reports include possible death of some nine Venezuelan Special Forces and some other 27 soldiers who were ambushed. The Ministry of Defence of Venezuela has not provided numbers of dead and wounded, but has confirmed that identification of the corpses is ongoing.
• Persistent violence and insecurity will most certainly increase the refugee influx to Colombia and delay any potential return of Venezuelans willing to get back home. Up to now, partners report more than 6,000 people have crossed to Colombia (including 500 children) and at least 1,500 children are affected within Venezuela, with four schools occupied by military personnel.
• Humanitarian actors have not yet been allowed to enter the area (except the Red Cross Movement) but continue to follow-up from Caracas and local field offices close to the conflict zone. 

• A landslide, triggered by heavy rain, occurred in Anserma Town (Caldas Department, central-western Colombia) on 28 April, resulting in one fatality.
• For the next 24 hours moderate to heavy rain is forecast across Caldas Department.

• Following the earthquake of 6.4 M that occurred in Sonitpur District (northern Assam State, north-eastern India) on 28 April, casualties and damage have been reported by national authorities.
• According to the Assam State Disaster Management Authority (ASDMA), two fatalities occurred, indirectly related to the seismic event, and ten have been injured. Cracks have been registered in many private and public buildings but there are no reports of severe damage like collapse of building or disruption of any major infrastructure.
• The National Center of Seismology of India recorded more than 15 aftershocks in the area with magnitude up to 4.7 M. The damage assessment, conducted by the national authorities, is ongoing.
• On 29-30 April moderate rain with thunderstorms is forecast across Assam State.

• On 26-27 April, flooding caused by heavy rain occurred in Davao City (southern Mindanao, southern Philippines), affecting at least 3,280 people, as reported by national authorities.
• As of 27 April, there were 419 individuals displaced to five evacuation centres across Davao City.
• Light rain is forecast over Davao City on 29-20 April.

• Over 1.3 million people need emergency humanitarian assistance in Madagascar. The country is facing its worse drought in 10 years, and the combined effects of the drought, low agricultural productivity, the impact of COVID-19, and a lack of essential food commodities in the market have resulted in a deteriorating food security situation, particularly in the southern and southwestern regions of the island.
• In 2020, the European Union allocated EUR 6.2 million in humanitarian funding to Madagascar. The EU also supported humanitarian interventions in the greater southern Africa region, including Madagascar, with EUR 64.7 million in funding. A significant share of this funding was allocated specifically to address the impact of the spell of drought in the region. Most of the funding to Madagascar was used to respond to the food and nutrition crisis.
• The EU is closely monitoring the ongoing food and nutrition crisis, especially in the Grand Sud. The EU prioritises provision of swift humanitarian aid in the form of emergency cash transfers to vulnerable people affected by disasters. This saves people from having to sell their possessions when food runs out, making them less able to cope with the next disaster.

https://ec.europa.eu/echo/where/africa/madagascar_en