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Kuala Lumpur/Delhi, 16 April 2021–A humanitarian calamity is engulfing South Asia as COVID-19 skyrockets across several countries setting new records, with more than 200,000 people infected per day.
South Asia is fast becoming the new global epicentre of the COVID-19 pandemic. This deadlier and more infectious new wave is overwhelming hospitals and social systems, heaping more distress on hundreds of millions of people already experiencing poverty and hardship.
On 15 April 2021 India recorded more than 200,700 cases in a day, more than double the country’s previous peak and the highest of any country in the world right now. Bangladesh is recording almost 50 per cent more deaths per day than its previous peak in June 2020. Pakistan’s daily cases are spiking, with the highest ever COVID-19 daily death rate.
Udaya Regmi, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) Head of Delegation, South Asia, said:
“The speed with which the virus is spreading in our region is truly frightening. Over 1.5 million people are sick with COVID-19 in India, Bangladesh and Pakistan combined and that’s 50 times how many were sick one month ago.
“Thousands of lives are being lost, this is a tragic warning to all countries, that every effort must be maintained and we cannot afford to relax in containing this deadly Coronavirus.
“The impact on frontline workers is catastrophic. Thousands of Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers have stepped-up efforts to help the elderly and those most at risk with access to lifesaving medical care, testing and vaccinations. Millions already face extreme poverty and we’re helping with food, water and other relief.”
There is growing evidence from health authorities that more virulent COVID-19 variants are fuelling this current surge in South Asia.
Dr Abhishek Rimal, IFRC’s Asia Pacific Coordinator for Emergency Health, said:
“Several countries in South Asia have already reported the B.1.1.7 and B.1.351 variants of concern from the UK and South Africa, which are more infectious and are increasing hospitalisation, putting a massive burden on the health system.
“As we enter the second year dealing with the pandemic it’s understandable that many people are sick of the restrictions and want to resume normal life. We must redouble our efforts to contain this disease as too many lives are at stake.
“We must place every effort to resource health workers and hospitals so people who are suffering receive the healthcare they need. This is a wakeup call to the world. Vaccines must be available to everyone, everywhere, rich and poor to overcome this terrible pandemic.”
Kuala Lumpur/Yangon/Geneva,1 April 2021 - Two months following the military takeover in Myanmar, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is deeply concerned about the escalating violence and mounting casualties amongst the civilian population and is warning of a deepening humanitarian crisis.
Alexander Matheou, IFRC’s Asia Pacific Regional Director, said:
“The levels of violence and the use of lethal force that have resulted in so many casualties and grave injuries amongst the population is deeply shocking. Myanmar Red Cross first aid teams working on the frontlines of this emergency have provided care to over 2,000 people, often at great personal risk.”
“In some instances, Myanmar Red Cross first aiders and medics have been wrongfully arrested, intimidated or injured and Red Cross property and ambulances have been damaged. This is unacceptable. Health workers should never be a target. They should be granted unrestricted humanitarian access to people in need.”
With major disruptions to emergency medical services, Myanmar Red Cross is one of a few organization’s currently able to help across the country, thanks to their nationwide network and levels of acceptance with local communities. Close to 2,000 Red Cross volunteers are working at 246 first aid posts set up in 175 townships across the country. The Red Cross also operates a fleet of 142 ambulances which have been used to treat and evacuate the seriously ill or wounded.
On its part, the IFRC released funding from its Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to help the Myanmar Red Cross sustain nationwide reach of its emergency first aid and medical transport services to aid an estimated 22,500 people until June, 2021. Longer term plans are rapidly being developed in line with escalating humanitarian needs in the months ahead.
The current state of unrest poses a significant threat to efforts to contain the COVID-19 pandemic in Myanmar where testing, tracing and treatment capacity has been markedly reduced in the past two months.
“In the coming months we could be facing a perfect storm in Myanmar where another wave of COVID-19 infections collides with a deepening humanitarian crisis spreading across the entire country.”
“As basic services such as health care, banking, transportation and logistics suffer major disruption, we inevitably see rising prices, food insecurity, increased population movements and a range of acute medical needs emerging,” said Mr Matheou.
The IFRC is also worried that the current political crisis could destabilise ongoing humanitarian programmes in Myanmar.
“With significant disruptions to banking services we could soon be struggling to support Myanmar Red Cross programmes in several parts of the country. This includes planned cash assistance to help families recover from COVID-19. Vulnerable people already suffering terrible hardships face greater risks”, said Mr Matheou.
Notes to Editors:
According to the World Health Organization, between 1February and 24March, 2021, there were 31 attacks on health-care facilities and staff, resulting in two deaths and six injuries. Dozens of facilities and several ambulances have been affected in 12 states and regions.
Joint statement from the Presidents of the Syrian Arab Red Crescent Society (SARC), the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC) and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) ahead of the Brussels V Conference on “Supporting the future of Syria and the region”
Geneva, 29 March 2021 - As we mark the tragic milestone of a decade of conflict in Syria, the Red Cross Red Crescent Movement calls upon the international community to translate words in action and ensure critical funding for one of the most brutal and far-reaching crises of our time.
Now, more than ever, Syrians need our solidarity and support. Ten years after the start of the crisis, the people of Syria are faced with a multitude of challenges: continuous hostilities, economic breakdown and the COVID-19 pandemic which has only exacerbated the immense humanitarian needs in the country. At present at least 13 million people need urgent assistance and are more dependent on aid than ever before.
The needs in Syria are enormous and humanitarian services remain a lifeline. Despite the security challenges and political blockages, we must continue to find ways to repair critical infrastructure and make sure people have access to basic services such as clean water, electricity and functioning health services.
“Our infrastructure is ruined. Our people are unable to cover their most basic needs because of serious shortages of food, water, fuel, and medicines,” said Khaled Hboubati, President of SARC, whose teams of staff and volunteers are working on the frontlines of the crisis, delivering more than 60 per cent of humanitarian assistance. “For a decade now, people in Syria have been living in agony. The world cannot abandon them,” added Mr Hboubati.
The Red Cross Red Crescent Movement has been responding to the needs of people in Syria since the first days of the conflict, with volunteers and staff providing vital aid to people in areas that others cannot reach. Without them, this humanitarian catastrophe would have been much worse. Each month, we currently assist around 4.5 million people inside Syria. For this life-saving work to continue, humanitarian workers must have sustained, safe, and non-politically motivated access to all people, families and communities in need. We ask that States and all parties to the conflict respect and ensure international humanitarian law in their operations.
Support is also desperately needed to help Syrians living outside of their homeland. Out of the 16.7 million people affected by the Syrian crisis, more than a third are currently hosted in neighbouring countries where National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are helping support millions of people, including through large-scale cash assistance in places like Turkey. In parallel, National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies across Europe and elsewhere have been implementing a wide range of activities to help Syrians integrate into their host communities, from offering psycho-social support programmes, to running reception centres, to facilitating reunification procedures with family members left behind.
“Over the past decade, there has been tremendous generosity and solidarity in the form of aid funding for Syria and neighbouring countries,” said IFRC President Francesco Rocca. “Unfortunately, today we see that donations are declining, whereas the humanitarian crisis worsens every day. Funding is needed more than ever to ensure Syrians can cover their basic needs and maintain a life in dignity.”
Yet aid and funding alone will not resolve the crisis.
“Humanitarians are here to help but the ultimate responsibility lies with parties to the conflict,” said ICRC President Peter Maurer, recently returned from a visit to Syria. “Collective and convergent leadership across the political divide is urgently needed. Otherwise, there will be Brussels conferences 6, 7 and more. Ongoing financial support and anegotiated political solution will create the conditions for a brighter future for the Syrian people. Syrians cannot afford to endure another year in these desperate conditions, let alone another decade.”
Budapest/Almaty, 19 February 2021 – A social media chatbot has been launched in an innovative bid to share accurate, trusted information to counter vaccine hesitancy. The chatbot was developed by the Red Crescent of Kazakhstan and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC). It followed research undertaken late last year by the IFRC and the Red Crescent that found high numbers of people saying they would refuse the coronavirus vaccine for themselves or their children.
The study also found people’s most trusted sources of information about coronavirus infection were social media and television, with these channels far ahead of more formal sources, including medical personnel.
Yerkebek Argymbayev, President of the Red Crescent Society of Kazakhstan, said:
"Creating a chatbot is an opportunity to keep up with the times and simplify many processes. With this bot people will be able to learn what they are interested in; from the myths associated with the coronavirus and vaccines, to the opportunity to enroll in first aid courses.
“We have also provided food and vouchers to more than 14,000 people since the beginning of the pandemic so the bot will relieve some of the burden on employees and allow them to perform their tasks more effectively,” Dr Argymbayev said.
The chatbot is a computer program that interacts with people through social media. When people ask it a simple question or a comment the chatbot automatically provides an answer, directs people to the service they want, or passes on the comment to the best person. This hugely increases the ability of the National Society to provide people with direct access to accurate, reliable information, while freeing up staff and volunteers who would otherwise be responding.
Bayarmaa Luntan, Head of the IFRC’s Central Asia office, said the IFRC is supporting the Red Crescent of Kazakhstan in investing in online and social media communication to ensure people can access credible and reliable information about the disease and vaccines.
“People are telling us that social media networks and messaging apps - and the platform Telegram in particular - are their main sources of information.
“While there was high recognition among people of the need to take preventative measures (90%) the research also pointed to knowledge gaps; for example, only one in three people reported respiratory droplets or contact with an infected person as a way for COVID-19 to be spread.”
Further research supported by IFRC is ongoing in Kazakhstan and nearby Tajikistan, listening to people’s fears, doubts, hopes and needs, and using this knowledge to support people through this crisis.
IFRC is also supporting Georgia Red Cross Society to develop a chat bot to respond to questions, feedback, misinformation and rumours on COVID-19.
Since the start of the COVID-19 outbreak, the Red Crescent of Kazakhstan has provided food and vouchers to vulnerable people across the country including older people living alone, people with disabilities, single parents and large low-income families.
New York, 17 February 2021 –The chief executive of the world’s largest humanitarian network has warned world leaders of the consequences of high levels of mistrust and persistent inequity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines.
In a briefing to a UN Security Council high-level meeting on COVID-19 vaccines, Jagan Chapagain, the Secretary General of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), spoke first of the impact of mistrust on virus response efforts. He said:
“When communities do not understand health interventions, they will not accept them. Instead, they are likely to see these health measures as threats, which can lead to violence. We saw this many times during(recent)Ebola outbreaks and we have all seen this many, many times during the COVID-19 pandemic.
“Put simply: mistrust kills. When science is not only ignored but derided, when the decision to wear masks becomes controversial and when the web is filled with absurd rumours, trust in the tremendous efforts to stop the pandemic is severely undermined. When mistrust prevails, it stops people from getting the help they need, and it prevents us from ending public health emergencies. It can even lead to people incorrectly blaming ‘others’ – foreigners, migrants or other minority groups – for the spread of an illness.”
Mr Chapagain went on to share the IFRC’s deep concerns about pervasive inequality and inequity in the distribution of COVID-19 vaccines worldwide. According to IFRC analysis,less than 1 per cent of COVID-19 vaccine doses globallyhave been administered in the 32 countries currently facing severe or very severe humanitarian crises.
Mr Chapagain said:
“People trust us for our actions. They look at what we do, and they judge us for what we do not do. They see, clearly, the current high levels of vaccine inequity and inequality.
“Equity is not something that happens on its own. History tells us this. Just as we need to ensure that all countries can access vaccines, we also need to make sure that those vaccines reach the arms of all the people who need them.
“Underserved, alienated, or isolated communities,including those living in areas not under the control ofStates,as well as detainees, IDPs and refugees,must be integrated in national vaccination efforts.Strong involvement ofthe InternationalRed Cross and Red CrescentMovementand other local impartial organizations in vaccination activities can help ensure that these communities are not left behind.
Earlier this month, the IFRC announced a 100 million Swiss franc plan to support the equitable distribution of COVID-19 vaccines. If fully funded, the plan will support the immunization of 500 million people against the virus.
Under the plan, Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies will support national vaccination efforts, including through activities designed to build trust and awareness of vaccines.
Red Cross and Red Crescent volunteers will also seek out communities and individuals that are economically, socially or geographically isolated to ensure their involvement in vaccine efforts. And trained personnel will, in many countries, be responsible for the physical delivery of vaccines to at-risk and vulnerable groups.
Beirut, February 12, 2021 — The World Bank and the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) have signed today an agreement for the independent monitoring of Lebanon’s COVID-19 vaccination campaign. Under this agreement, IFRC acting as the Third Party Monitoring Agency (TPMA), will be in charge of independently monitoring the compliance of the vaccination deployment with national plans, international standards and World Bank requirements in order to ensure safe handling of the vaccines, as well as fair and equitable access to all.
According to the agreement, IFRC’s oversight and supervision will cover COVID-19 vaccine supply chain management as well as vaccine administration at vaccination sites from the technical, environmental and social safeguards perspectives. This includes but is not limited to storage, stock and temperature maintenance across the supply chain, service delivery at vaccination sites, eligibility of vaccine recipients and capturing client perspectives and feedback. The agreement will extend through December 2021 and may be prolonged as needed.
This agreement will cover the roll-out of vaccines to be procured under World Bank financing made possible through the re-allocation of US$34 million under the existing Lebanon Health Resilience Project to help Lebanon as it faces an unprecedented surge in COVID-19 cases. This re-allocation was the first World Bank-financed operation to fund the procurement of COVID-19 vaccines and will cover over 2 million individuals. In a first phase, this financing will cover the purchase of 1.5 million vaccines (750,000 individuals) from Pfizer, and the first batch is expected to arrive to Lebanon on February 13, 2021.
“Lebanon is embarking on an unprecedented large-scale acquisition and deployment of COVID-19 vaccines with its health system already under severe strain from the COVID-19 pandemic, a deep and prolonged macroeconomic crisis and lastly the devastating Port of Beirut explosion,” said Saroj Kumar Jha, World Bank Mashreq Regional Director. “The World Bank’s partnership with IFRC aims to ensure fair, broad, and fast access to COVID-19 vaccines to help save lives and support economic recovery while ensuring strict compliance with the safeguards in place.”
In preparing for vaccine deployment, the Government of Lebanon, with the support of the World Bank and other partners, has conducted the COVID-19 vaccine readiness assessment, established a National COVID-19 Vaccine Committee, and prepared a National COVID-19 Deployment and Vaccination Plan (NDVP). The NDVP has all the key elements recommended by the World Health Organization (WHO) and represents a central part of Lebanon’s vaccination readiness. According to the NDVP, Lebanon seeks to vaccinate 80 percent of the total population (citizens and non-citizens residing in the country). Vaccination will prioritize high risk populations through a multi-phase roll-out plan in line with WHO recommendations: high risk health workers, population above 65 years of age, epidemiological and surveillance staff, and population between 55-64 years with co-morbidities. By prioritizing these groups, the country’s vaccination program has the potential to reduce the consequences of the pandemic. Any exception to these priorities will jeopardize the efficiency, transparency and credibility of the vaccination plan.
“As a neutral independent international organsiation, we look forward to working with the World Bank on this important project to monitor the vaccine implementation plan and enable the public health authorities to ensure safe handling of the vaccines, as well as fair and equitable access to all,” said Dr. Hossam Elsharkawi, IFRC MENA Regional Director. “Only through strong partnerships, we can overcome the multi-layered crisis in Lebanon.”
IFRC will use mixed methods for data collection including the monitoring of mobile data platforms to ensure real time data collection and analysis, in person observations and monitoring using checklists, in person monitoring, reporting and reconciliation of daily stock count. In addition, IFRC teams will monitor social media and analyze the data from the call center set up by the Ministry of Public Health as part of the Grievance Redress Mechanism established under the project.
In addition to the TPMA, the WB has established, in consultation with WHO, UNICEF, IOM, UNHCR and UNRWA, an international Joint Monitoring Committee to engage in the monitoring of the vaccination process, identify measures to enhance the quality of the campaign, and ensure joint advocacy throughout the process, based on findings from the TPM and other sources.
The World Bank reiterates its commitment to ensure the strict enforcement of the vaccination plan and the continuous and stringent monitoring of its implementation to help Lebanon contain the pandemic as promptly and efficiently as possible.
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The World Bank, one of the largest sources of funding and knowledge for developing countries, is taking broad, fast action to help developing countries respond to the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19. This includes US$12 billion to help low- and middle-income countries purchase and distribute COVID-19 vaccines, tests, and treatments, and strengthen vaccination systems. The financing builds on the broader World Bank Group COVID-19 response, which is helping more than 100 countries strengthen health systems, support the poorest households, and create supportive conditions to maintain livelihoods and jobs for those hit hardest.
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) is the world’s largest humanitarian network, comprising 192 National Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies working to save lives and promote dignity around the world.
Panama/Geneva, 15 January 2021 – The Red Cross is preparing to provide humanitarian assistance to migrants ready to depart Honduras for Guatemala as part of a 'migrant caravan'. More than 4,000 thousand people are expected to join the caravan that will depart from the Honduran city of San Pedro Sula today at 5:00 am local time.
The Honduran Red Cross will support up to 6,000 migrants departing from the northern and southern zones of the country. Humanitarian Service Points will be enabled at the point of departure in the city centre of San Pedro Sula, as well as along the migration route. These spaces will provide access to essential services, such as water, face masks, pre-hospital care, information about safety, security and COVID-19 prevention, as well as means of communication for migrants to keep in touch with their families.
During their journey, people are exposed to dehydration, injuries, and fainting. Often, they also lose contact with family members. Providing support and protection is a humanitarian imperative, especially to vulnerable migrants, such as children, youth, women, indigenous populations, elderly, disable, and LGBTQI people.
At the Guatemalan side of the border, ten Humanitarian Service Points are currently being set up along the border and the migration route. Red Cross volunteers specially trained to work in this context are ready to provide protection and holistic humanitarian assistance to 4,000 people, including psychosocial support, higyene kits, clean water, and information on self-care and COVID-19 prevention.
Martha Keays, Regional Director for the Americas at the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said: “The potential exclusion of migrants from the COVID-19 prevention plans is concerning. It isourduty, as the world’s largest humanitarian network, toensure thattheyare not forgotten. The authorities in the places of origin, transit and destination, as well as international organisations, civil society and the migrants themselves should work hand in hand to ensure that no one is left behind.”
Migrants have been disproportionately affected by the impact of COVID-19. Many of them have been unable to comply with the preventative measures necessary to keep them healthy and safe during the COVID-19 outbreak, due to limited access to essential services – such as health, water, sanitation and hygiene - as well as poor and unsafe living and working conditions. They have also been hit the hardest by the economic fallout of the pandemic.
The combination of COVID-19, social exclusion, discrimination, violence, and climate-related disasters happening at the same time, with a magnitude rarely seen before in Central America, poses new humanitarian challenges. Eta and Iota have destroyed livelihoodsacross a region that was already facing an economic crisis and where the income of thousands of families had already been severely depleted due to the pandemic. People are at risk of resorting to coping strategiessuch as selling their animals and properties,eating less food, andabandoning their hometowns to look for new ways of generating income.
Maputo/Geneva, 28 December 2020 – In anticipation of Cyclone Chalane’s potential landfall on Wednesday in Mozambique, the Mozambique Red Cross, with the support of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) and German Red Cross has activated its recently approved Early Action Protocol for Cyclones, with a series of preparedness actions to minimise the cyclone’s impact on communities.
Forecast-based Action is a new form of Red Cross readiness and preparedness actions. It is governed by an ‘Early Action Protocol’, consisting of a preparedness phase with the strategic prepositioning of materials that are tailored to reduce the impact of disasters, and a readiness phase consisting of a tranche of funding that is disbursed up to 72 hours prior to an impending disaster when a cyclone reaches a “trigger” level. In doing so it allows humanitarian actors who are on high alert to kick into action before the event takes place.
Jurg Wilbrink, Forecast-based Action Project Manager IFRC Southern Africa, said:
“Our emphasis at this stage is on anticipation and not reaction. Instead of waiting for the cyclone to hit, we are preparing for its impact. By Wednesday, if the cyclone makes landfall, Red Cross staff and volunteers will have launched early warnings and supported reinforcing houses and public structures, as well as strategic stock in place to limit the potential damage caused to people and infrastructure in targeted vulnerable communities.”
Early actions will include the delivery of shelter kits and other emergency supplies like items for increased hygiene and sanitation, as well as COVID-19 hygiene kits, quick efforts to fortify houses and the distribution of non-food items to buffer the impacts of Chalane. Red Cross volunteers will also be active in sharing potentially life-saving information, including the position of safe areas, medical help and key actions to take before landfall in the area.
Mozambique is a country prone to cyclones and tropical storms which can lead to flash flooding, hundreds of deaths, and massive destruction of property and crops.
Chalane is expected to strike the districts of Buzi, Beira, Dondo and Muanza in Central Mozambique - areas that were devastated by Cyclone Idai in March 2019, and was again hit by severe flooding in February this year, with thousands displaced from their homes and many left clinging to trees to avoid being swept away by the rising river. Cyclone Chalane is expected to reach windspeeds of up to 125km per hour. Recent Red Cross analysis suggests that, even if it makes landfall with windspeeds of 72km per hour, 30 per cent of vulnerable housing structures could be destroyed.
Jânio Dambo, Forecast-based Financing Project Manager at the Mozambique Red Cross (CVM) said that early action will roll out over the next three days ahead of Wednesday evening’s predicted landfall:
“We were busy finalising the details of the early-action protocol in Mozambique when Cyclone Idai hit. At the time, what needed to happen was being put down on paper. This time around, we are putting everything into action. Early action.” Less than a month ago, over 1,000 individual actors participated in a large-scale simulation exercise, testing the workings of the protocol in Moma, Nampula. The lessons learnt during that exercise have already proved invaluable for how decision-makers are approaching Mozambique’s potential cyclone.
For photos and videos of the ‘Early Action Protocol’ simulation exercise in Moma, Nampula, held from 27 November to 6 December 2020:
Photos: https://shared.ifrc.org/awp/pincollection.jspx?collectionName=%7B5e871f41-b7c8-4e9f-a3fd-80c2ff404fad%7D
Video: https://shared.ifrc.org/awp/pincollection.jspx?collectionName=%7B8bcaf37b-6d37-49d9-9efe-82b016a1816a%7D
Panama/Geneva, 14 December 2020– One month after hurricanes Eta and Iota hit Central America and Colombia, affecting more than 7.5 million people, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) warns that millions are still in need of immediate humanitarian support in what has become one of the most challenging disasters faced by the region in recent history.
The IFRC and National Red Cross Societies are currently addressing the most urgent needs of over 100,000 people through seven simultaneous humanitarian operations in Colombia, Belize, Costa Rica, Panamá, Guatemala, Nicaragua and Honduras. The situation is especially severe in Nicaragua, Honduras, and Guatemala, where more than 6 million people have been affected by heavy rains, floods, and landslides. In-depth damage and needs assessments are ongoing but results from all rapid assessments conducted so far paint a bleak humanitarian picture in both the short and medium term.
Felipe del Cid, Head of the IFRC’s Disaster Response Unit in the Americas, said: “Millions of people still need immediate humanitarian support: shelter, health care, psychosocial support, access to food, clean water, sanitation, and hygiene facilities. We are talking about a huge disaster, exacerbating an already ruinous combination of COVID-19, poverty and inequality in the region.These overlapping crises are making our operation one of the most complex we have ever mounted. The support of the international community is urgent to protect lives and livelihoods”.
On 8 November, the IFRC launched an Emergency Appeal for 20 million Swiss Francs to assist 75,000 of the worst affected people in Guatemala, Honduras, and Nicaragua for at least 18 months. Currently only 58% funded, the appeal focuses on rebuilding and repairing damaged shelters, improving access to clean water, sanitation and hygiene facilities, addressing health needs, including COVID-19 prevention measures, and providing psychosocial support. The operation will also seek to address the mid-term consequences, such as the hurricanes’ impact on livelihoods and displacement.
“Eta and Iota have wiped out livestock, destroyedtools,harvests and farming areas, and impacted popular tourist spotsacross a region that was already facing an economic crisis related to COVID-19 and where the incomes of thousands of families had already been severely depleted. People are at risk of resorting to coping strategiessuch as selling their animals and properties,eating less food, andabandoning their homes to look for new ways of generating income”, added del Cid.
History has shown that hurricanes can cause displacement influxes as the loss of housing and livelihoods fuel unemployment and lead to increased movement of people to urban centres. Eta and Iota also represent a challenge for returned populations. InGuatemala and Honduras,some of the areas hit hardest have also welcomed large groups of returned people whose journeys have not ended in the way they expected. Figures on unemployment, poverty, and vulnerability were already high due to COVID-19 and will very likely deteriorate due to Eta and Iota.
Audiovisual materials including high quality B-roll and images available to download and use here.
Kuala Lumpur/Manila/Geneva, 15 November 2020 – Catastrophic floods have completely submerged entire towns and villages in the northern region of the Philippines, forcing tens of thousands of people from their homes just days after Typhoon Vamco tore through the country.
Dozens of towns and villages have been devastated in the Cagayan Valley, north of the capital Manila as flood waters up to 12 metres deep swamped tens of thousands of homes.
Red Cross fears for the safety and wellbeing of thousands who remain trapped, with at least 47,000 people rescued so far according to local authorities. Initial assessments indicate around 90 per cent of homes have been flooded in Tuguegarao, the Cagayan provincial capital.
Red Cross teams have been working through the night searching in the floodwaters by flashlight and rescuing people stranded on rooftops.
Philippine Red Cross Chairman Richard Gordon said:
“Our teams are urgently searching for people trapped in these horrifying floodwaters and rescuing people who have been forced to camp on their roofs. We’re making sure people have access to critical first aid, shelter, hot meals and safe drinking water.
“These floods are a calamity and the worst we have seen in Cagayan for at least 40 years. More Red Cross rescue teams and resources are being rushed to help with our massive rescue and relief operations."
The International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies is releasing 750,000 Swiss Francs to assist with immediate relief for 40,000 people affected by the floods and Typhoon Vamco, including communities in Cagayan Valley. IFRC has also more than doubled an international Emergency Appeal to 8.5 million Swiss Francs, to support at least 100,000 people whose homes and livelihoods were devastated by Super Typhoon Goni earlier this month.
Head of IFRC Philippine Country Office Robert Kaufman said:
“These catastrophic floods are another sad and brutal blow for the people of the Philippines. This is a terrible triple disaster as these terrifying floods and two devastating typhoons strike communities already reeling from the health, social and economic impacts of COVID-19.
"We are urgently redoubling our support for the people of the Philippines, all while keeping people safe from COVID-19, in one of the most complex relief operations ever. People need immediate relief as well as longer term support to recover and rebuild livelihoods in the weeks and months ahead. We must build back better in the facing of recurring threats.”
Panama/Geneva, 10 November 2020 – The national, regional, and global resources of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) are being mobilized as the full, destructive picture of Eta begins to emerge across Central America.
According to Red Cross assessments, more than 2.5 million people from Panama to Belize have been affected in some way, although the impacts are most severe in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
Felipe del Cid, IFRC's Operations Manager for the Americas, said:
"Eta has been a devastating disaster. In Honduras alone, 1.7 million people have been affected. Many of them are women, children and members of indigenous communities that have lost everything and have no access to water and food. In several communities, families are drinking contaminated water and are in urgent need of support."
A plane and two trucks carrying a combined 98 tons of humanitarian aid are departing from the IFRC’s Humanitarian Logistics Hub in Panama to Nicaragua and Honduras. Aid items include mosquito nets, kitchen kits, hygiene kits, tarpaulins, jerrycans, cleaning kits, tool kits and COVID protection equipment.
The IFRC has launched a 20 million Swiss franc Emergency Appeal to support and dramatically expand local Red Cross efforts in Honduras, Nicaragua and Guatemala.
This operation aims to assist 75,000 of the worst affected people for at least 18 months. It will focus on rebuilding and repairing damaged shelters, improving access to clean water, hygiene and sanitation, addressing health care needs, including COVID-19 prevention needs, and providing psychosocial support. The operation will also seek to address issues related to gender and inclusion, as well as displacement. Historically, disasters in the region have led to increased movement of people towards urban centres.
IFRC is also deploying a series of Emergency Response Units from its global network as part of the multi-country operation.
"The region is facing a triple crisis: Eta, COVID-19 and the one caused by the pre-existing conditions of vulnerability that have been affecting Central American countries. We are talking about millions of people affected in seven countries. The need for humanitarian aid is dramatic," Felipe del Cid added.
National Red Cross Societies across Central America were active before Eta made landfall. They coordinated with authorities to prepare for Eta’s impact and assisted in the evacuation of communities lying in its path. Since the storm made landfall, they have been involved in search and rescue efforts, offered support to people in shelters, provided prehospital care to the injured, and offered psychosocial support and COVID-19 prevention information to survivors.
In addition to mounting this operation, IFRC is also closely monitoring potential new storm systems that could develop and threaten Eta-affected communities in the coming days.
Izmir/Ankara/Budapest/Geneva, 31 October 2020 – Turkish Red Crescent Society (Türk Kizilay) is continuing to provide life-saving assistance to people affected by the 6.6 magnitude earthquake that struck yesterday off Turkey's Aegean coast, north of the Greek island of Samos.
According to initial reports by Turkish authorities, at least 25 people have lost their lives, more than 800 have been injured, and several buildings have collapsed or sustained damage following the tremors.
“Right now, we have a critical life-saving window – our teams are focused on ensuring people get the urgent support they need in the hours and days after this earthquake, including hot meals, hygiene items and psychosocial support,” said Ibrahim Ozer, Turkish Red Crescent Deputy Director General for Disaster Management from Izmir, the most affected area in Turkey.
“Many are also unable to return home due to the aftershocks and we’re focused on ensuring some of their most basic needs are met – such as food, emergency housing and other essential items.”
More than 140 Turkish Red Crescent volunteers and personnel were immediately sent to the affected area. Volunteers have been supporting authorities in search and rescue efforts, providing psychosocial support as well as deploying their mobile kitchens with the capacity to serve 56,300 people with hot food.
In Greece, which was also hit by the earthquake, a Hellenic Red Cross rescue team has arrived on the island of Samos and is working with authorities to determine the most pressing needs. The teams are trained in first aid, rescue and water provision among other emergency skills.
Two teenagers died on Samos after a wall collapsed on them while they were walking home from school.
IFRC regional director for Europe Birgitte Ebbesen said the quick response by Turkish Red Crescent and Hellenic Red Cross rescue teams was to be commended and showed the importance of local preparedness and action.
“Turkish Red Crescent and Hellenic Red Cross volunteers are in every town and city across their countries. They are part of the communities they serve - they know the people and their needs. We thank them for their selfless and life-saving work and stand ready to support in any way we can.”
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Kuala Lumpur/Hanoi/Geneva, 29 October 2020–A major typhoon has devastated areas of central Vietnam, with dozens of people feared dead in tragic landslides in Quang Nam.
There are 53 people buried and feared dead in two landslides caused by the storm, according to Vietnam Government authorities and Red Cross teams have been working through the night to help with rescue efforts.
The storm has worsened floods in areas of central Vietnam and has caused fresh flooding in new areas, including the central highlands near the Laos border.
MadamNguyen Thi Xuan Thu,Viet Nam Red CrossSociety President said: “We are heartbroken by more tragic loss of life as this typhoon has brought further misery and hardships to hundreds of thousands of people in central Vietnam. Around 89,000 homes have roofs blown off, with many destroyed by this storm.”
“Red Cross relief teams are working non-stop to rescue people and provide critical relief as hundreds of thousands of lives have been turned upside down with so many homes and livelihoods devastated in this massive storm.”
Infrastructure has been damaged including electricity and roads, with over 700 communities without power. More food crops and safe drinking water supplies have also been damaged or destroyed in regions of Vietnam already reeling from some of the worst flooding in decades.
Nguyen Hung Ha, Bangkok based Program Coordinator, International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, said: “This massive storm is another crippling blow to millions of people already struggling to cope with some of the most dangerous floods on record in central Vietnam.”
“Relief teams are stretched to the limit due to these back-to back storms. We must redouble our efforts to get critical relief supplies, food, drinking water, tarpaulins and blankets to all those who need it in the coming days and weeks,” Mr Nguyen Hung Ha said.
In response to the existing flooding and impacts as a result of Typhoon Molave, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC) has launched an Emergency Appeal for 3.9 million Swiss Francs to fund relief and recovery efforts for an estimated 160,000 people. IFRC has already provided 500,000 Swiss francs to support local emergency efforts.
It is estimated that at least 150,000 people are at immediate risk of food shortages and hunger after thousands of hectares of crops have been destroyed, while over 2 million cattle and poultry are dead or swept away in some of the worst flooding in decades.
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Geneva/New York, 24 October 2020 – The International Red Cross and Red Crescent Movement welcomes the coming into force of the UN Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons (TPNW).Fifty States have now ratified the Treaty, meaning that it will enter into force as an instrument of international humanitarian law in 90 days. The Treaty is the first globally applicable multilateral agreement to comprehensively prohibit nuclear weapons. It prohibits their use, threat of use, development, production, testing and stockpiling. It also commits States to clearing contaminated areas and helping victims. By providing pathways for the elimination of nuclear weapons, the TPNW is an indispensable building block towards a world free of nuclear weaponsFrancesco Rocca, President of the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies (IFRC), said:“Today is an historic day: even a few years ago, the dream of a nuclear ban recognized by the international community seemed unfathomable. This is a victory for every citizen of the world, and it demonstrates the importance of multilateralism. I would like to congratulate all 50 States that have ratified the treaty and to call on all the other world leaders to act with courage and join the right side of history.“The simple reality is that the international community could never hope to deal with the consequences of a nuclear confrontation. No nation is prepared to deal with a nuclear confrontation. What we cannot prepare for, we must prevent”, Mr Rocca said.There are over 14,000 nuclear bombs in the world, thousands of which are ready to be launched in an instant. The power of many of those warheads are tens of times greater than the weapons dropped on Nagasaki and Hiroshima.Peter Maurer, President of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), said“Today is a victory for humanity, and a promise of a safer future. Too many times we have seen the dangerous logic of nuclear deterrence drag the world to the brink of destruction. Too many accept nuclear weapons as an inevitable part of the international security architecture. The Treaty on the Prohibition of Nuclear Weapons allows us to imagine a world free from such inhumane weapons as an achievable goal.”Red Cross and Red Crescent leaders have over the past years advocated with government leaders, parliamentarians, academics and with the public to reflect in depth on the humanitarian consequences of Nuclear weapons and the need to have a legally binding commitment for their prohibition and in the long term for their elimination. They also have urged the Nuclear possessing states to urgently take interim steps to reduce the immediate risks of use of nuclear weapons by intent, miscalculation or accident, and in the long term to sign and ratify the treaty.Prohibiting and eliminating nuclear weapons is a humanitarian imperative, and a promise to future generations that they will never have to live under the threat of nuclear catastrophe as we have experienced the past 75 years.“The use of nuclear weapons is, under any circumstances, unacceptable in humanitarian, moral and legal terms. We are ready, together with our Red Cross Red Crescent National Societies, to continue our advocacy to build a world without nuclear weapons: we need to scale-up and intensify our efforts. We must do it for future generations,” concluded Mr Rocca.