Today's top news: Myanmar, Ethiopia, Sudan, Syria and Türkiye
Myanmar
The gradual restoration of limited communications is allowing humanitarian teams to gather a clearer picture of the impact on millions of people who were in the path of the storm.
Our partners report devastating destruction of homes and public infrastructure throughout Rakhine state. The impact of the cyclone was also felt heavily in the country’s northwest, where houses were blown or washed away. Strong winds and rains have also damaged camps for displaced people in Kachin State.
Urgent needs include shelter, clean water, food assistance and healthcare services.
There are rising concerns in flooded areas of the spread of waterborne disease and the movement of landmines.
Lack of electricity in certain areas, as well as physical and bureaucratic access constraints, continue to be a challenge. Several bridges providing access to sites for displaced people have been washed away.
The road between Yangon and Sittwe has now reopened, potentially providing a transport route for much-needed supplies. The airport is also expected to re-open tomorrow.
Efforts are under way to mobilize resources, but we need an urgent injection of funds. The country’s US$764 million Humanitarian Response Plan is just 10 per cent funded.
Ethiopia
Recent floods in Ethiopia have caused significant displacement of people and damage in the country’s south and east.
With more than 35,000 households displaced and more than 45 lives lost, Somali Region is the most affected. More than 23,000 livestock have died, while nearly 100,000 hectares of farmland has been destroyed.
Food, shelter, agriculture, nutrition and health support are the top humanitarian needs.
The floods are also heightening health risks in places where there is an ongoing cholera outbreak.
Flood water have reached areas already impacted by the historic drought in the Horn of Africa, which has left more than 11 million people food insecure in Ethiopia alone. While the rains have led to some improvements in agriculture and water conditions, the humanitarian situation remain dire.
The UN and our humanitarian partners, along with the Government, are providing lifesaving assistance, but we need more funding. A coordinated allocation of $40 million by the Ethiopia Humanitarian Fund and the Central Emergency Response Fund is being prepared to address the needs of drought and flood affected people. But to date only 22 per cent of the nearly $4 billion required for the humanitarian response this year has been received.
Still in Ethiopia, along with our partners, we are also seeking to support those arriving from neighbouring Sudan. More than 25,000 people have crossed into Ethiopia since April 21st, the majority of them Ethiopians returning to the country.
The UN and our partners, together with the Government, have installed transit shelters with water and sanitation supplies, and have also provided food and nutrition supplies.
Sudan
The UN and our partners are working to ramp up life-saving assistance for millions of people in need.
The World Food Programme (WFP) has reached more than 300,000 people to date with over 6,500 tons of food. Distributions are underway in the states of Al Jazirah, Gedaref, Kassala, White Nile, North Darfur and East Darfur. This includes nutrition support, which is also ongoing in Red Sea State.
WFP is planning to expand operations into Blue Nile, Central Darfur and Northern states this week.
Yesterday, four trucks from the UN Children’s Fund moved supplies from Soba to Aj Jazirah, crossing conflict lines with health and nutrition supplies, including emergency health kits containing essential medicines and medical devices.
Syria
The UN continues to respond to urgent humanitarian needs there, 100 days after February’s devasting earthquakes.
Across the country, we and our partners have provided more than 2 million hot meals. Millions of people have also received ready-to-eat food rations and other forms of food and cash assistance.
The UN has worked to ensure access to safe drinking water and hygiene and sanitation services, including in reception centers and sites hosting internally displaced people.
Millions of people have received health services and shelter support.
We have removed hundreds of thousands of cubic metres of debris and rehabilitated classrooms, health facilities and other critical infrastructure.
Children separated from their families and survivors of gender-based violence have also received protection support.
Since the earthquakes, more than 2,200 trucks carrying UN aid have moved into northwest Syria from southern Türkiye. We continue to send supplies through the three available border crossings on a daily basis.
The UN has also completed about 100 inter-agency cross-border missions into the northwest since 14 February.
Our three-month flash appeal for the earthquake response in Syria was fully funded, thanks to the generosity of donors. Meanwhile, many relief activities will continue under the annual Humanitarian Response Plan – which is less than 8 per cent funded to date.
Türkiye
In Türkiye, humanitarian needs remain high, with some 3 million people forced to relocate and more than half a million buildings having sustained significant damage.
We and our partners have supported the Government-led response, helping reach more than 4 million people with humanitarian assistance, including 1.4 million children. This support includes food, shelter, health and cash assistance, and water, sanitation and hygiene services.
Our three-month flash appeal for Türkiye wrapped up today, with more than $353 million received. In the months ahead, we and our humanitarian partners will continue to back Government efforts to deliver urgent assistance to those in need.