Weekly
highlights
Every week, we publish new highlights on recent humanitarian developments to enable crisis responders to prioritise based on the needs of affected populations.
13/03/2024
Pakistan
Since 26 February 2024, heavy snowfall and rain have been causing floods, landslides, and destruction in northern and western Pakistan. As at 5 March, 40 people died and 62 were injured. The adverse weather conditions led to the destruction of 80 houses and damage to 554. As at 12 March, nine people died and 3,200 houses were damaged in Balochistan. Thousands of people have been displaced, but numbers are yet to be confirmed by official sources. The national and provincial governments are providing food, tents, and cash in the affected areas. Persistent snowfall and rainfall have resulted in the blockade of key highways, roads, and bridges in Balochistan and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, causing access constraints. The adverse weather has also caused internet outages, which are likely hampering the flow of information from the affected regions. Pakistan has not yet recovered from the 2022 flood that left 20.6 million people in need of humanitarian assistance, with 1.5 million people still displaced in flood-affected districts. (ECHO 06/03/2024, RFERL 05/03/2024, Samaa TV 13/03/2024)
12/03/2024
Mauritania
A recent influx of Malian refugees to Hodh Chargui region in eastern Mauritania is contributing to straining local sources and increasing food insecurity levels. The escalating conflict and insecurity in Mali have driven over 14,000 people to seek refuge in January alone. In Hodh Chargui, there were 104,600 registered Malian refugees, with more than 95,800 refugees staying in Mbera camp as at 31 January. One-third of the new arrivals are dependent on charity from the host population to cover needs such as food and water, while others have brought their livestock with them and depend on income from daily work. Food needs across the region are likely to increase because of the pressure on local sources following the arrival of refugees. Below-average rainfall in 2023 has also reduced the availability of food and contributed to rising prices in markets.
(FEWS NET 29/02/2024, UNHCR 27/02/2024)
11/03/2024
Nigeria
On 7 March 2024, over 280 students were abducted from a school in Kuriga, Kaduna State, marking the third such incident in a week. On 9 March, 15 students were kidnapped in Gidan Bakuso village, Sokoto State, raising concerns in the North West. Rescue efforts are hindered by inaccessible roads. Over 200 individuals (predominantly women and children) were abducted in Borno State, allegedly by Boko Haram in early March. These distressing events highlight critical protection and education concerns, as the security gaps exploited by kidnappers jeopardise the safety of children and women and disrupt the educational environment. (The Guardian 10/03/2024, CNN 08/03/2024, APNews 09/03/2024)
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