Natural Disasters Archives - Page 3 of 6

JUBA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is scaling up support for people impacted by the third consecutive year of record floods that are battering South Sudan. The inundation is threatening to reverse gains made in food security as floodwaters swallow up large swaths of farmland and pastures, destroy crops and drown precious livestock and entire villages.

More than 750,000 people 31 counties across eight states have been affected by the floods including 365,000 who have been displaced. In Unity State alone, local authorities indicate that almost 90 percent of the state is under water, leaving very few safe havens for displaced people.

“The climate emergency is very real in South Sudan, causing unspeakable suffering, destroying people’s livelihoods and pushing them deeper into poverty and hunger,” said Adeyinka Badejo, acting Country Director of the U.N. World Food Programme in South Sudan. “The U.N. World Food Programme is re-prioritizing and redirecting its resources to respond to this new crisis. We are delivering vital food and supplies by air to people in areas that have been cut off by floods.”

The U.N. World Food Programme is reaching 300,000 people which is 40 percent of those heavily impacted by recurring floods in South Sudan with food and nutrition assistance. Additionally, communities are being supported to adapt and recover from climate shocks through the construction of dykes to control floodwaters and protect farmlands and people, as well as repairing roads to connect people to local markets and essential services.

The scale of devastation has seriously impacted people’s livelihoods and food production, significantly jeopardizing their food security and nutrition with the harvest this year likely to be lower than last year. The catastrophic floods come on top of continuing conflict, economic crisis and the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic.

While scaling up its emergency assistance for the most vulnerable, the U.N. World Food Programme is also working with communities to create long-term solutions that help them prepare for, respond to and recover from climate shocks, such as building and repairing dykes to control floodwaters and roads to improve people’s access to basic services.

“In South Sudan, the U.N. World Food Programme works across all pathways of emergency relief and early recovery and development to create an enabling environment for the people of South Sudan and equip them with the tools to build a future for generations to come,” said Badejo.

Despite efforts to support community resilience to shocks, humanitarian needs in South Sudan continue to outpace resources and the U.N. World Food Programme is at risk of running out of funds to continue its vital emergency operations and livelihoods programs. For the next six months, the U.N. World Food Programme needs $568 million to maintain its operations.

# # #

The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

MANILA, PHILIPPINES– The world faces an exponential increase in hunger fueled by the climate crisis if urgent global action to help communities adapt to climatic shocks and stresses is ignored, the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) warned on World Food Day.

“The climate crisis has the potential to overwhelm humanity. The world is not prepared for the unprecedented rise in hunger we will see if we do not invest in programs that help vulnerable communities adapt and build resilience to our changing climate,” said U.N. World Food Programme Executive Director David Beasley. “The climate crisis is fueling a food crisis.”

Vulnerable communities, a vast majority of whom rely on agriculture, fishing and livestock, who contribute the least to the climate crisis, bear the brunt of the impacts with limited means to cushion the blow.

Building on this year’s theme for World Food Day, “Our actions are our future- better production, better nutrition, a better environment, and a better life,” the U.N. World Food Programme called on world leaders to recognize the close link between hunger and the climate crisis, urging them to redouble their efforts to address the changing climate in advance of the November 2021 United Nations Climate Change Conference in Glasgow (COP26).

“The climate crisis is a threat multiplier,” said Brenda Barton, the U.N. World Food Programme’s Representative and Country Director for the Philippines at yesterday’s World Food Day 2021 main event with the Department of Agriculture and the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO). “We see this here in the Philippines where the nexus between high rates of malnutrition, repeated climate shocks and now the COVID pandemic, has put more and more people’s food and nutrition security at risk.”

The Philippines ranks fourth among the countries most affected by climate risks over a 20-year period.

When typhoons and other shocks strike, nutrition worsens. According to a 2019 nutrition survey by the Department of Science and Technology-Food and Nutrition Research Institute, 64.1% of households are hungry. Malnutrition rates in the Philippines, particularly stunting, remain high and are currently amongst the top ten worst in the world numerically. Almost 30 percent of children under 5 too short for their age. This has a negative, lifelong impact on children’s physical and cognitive development, and consequently, the country’s future human capital.

The U.N. World Food Programme works with the Philippine Government to support needed agriculture interventions and innovative climate-related initiatives including anticipatory actions to mitigate the severe impact of typhoons and other shocks when they do occur. The U.N. World Food Programme provides cash and other assets to thousands of farming and fishing communities to provide sustainable livelihoods and improve their resilience to climate shocks. In addition, the U.N. World Food Programme works with the government in its advocacy to promote the production and consumption of iron-fortified rice to directly reduce stunting cases.

“We must urgently act and act collectively, using innovative ways to manage climate risks and to protect vulnerable communities — especially the farming and fishing sectors on whom we rely to produce the very food we eat every day,” said Barton.

# # #

The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity, and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters, and the impact of climate change. WFP in the Philippines re-established its presence in the country in 2006 at the request of the Government to support the ongoing peace process in the Mindanao region. WFP works closely with the government, other United Nations agencies, non-governmental organizations, and communities to improve long-term food security while assisting people and communities to build resilience and be better prepared for the consequences of disasters. CLICK HERE to read more.

WASHINGTON, DC (August 24, 2021) – World Food Program USA has donated $250,000 to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) to support critical earthquake relief efforts in Haiti. The UPS Foundation, our longtime corporate partner, contributed $100,000 of that donation in addition to providing transportation and logistics support for the emergency response. The U.N. World Food Programme estimates that 215,000 Haitians need urgent food assistance.

Following the devastating 7.2 magnitude earthquake in southwestern Haiti on August 14, the U.N. World Food Programme swiftly mobilized to provide logistics support to the Haitian government, in addition to transporting government and humanitarian staff to affected areas along with medical and emergency relief supplies – water, hygiene kits, blankets, food and fuel.

“We are committed to helping Haitians recover from this devastating disaster and are grateful for the support of The UPS Foundation and individual donors who have made this donation possible,” said Barron Segar, President and CEO of World Food Program USA. “This funding helps support the U.N. World Food Programme’s relief efforts on the ground, which has included hot meals or cash transfers to 9,000 people, as well as logistics support for medical relief operations and providing food in hospitals to injured people, their families and medical staff.”

“Our hearts go out to the people of Haiti,” said Joe Ruiz, vice president of social impact and The UPS Foundation. “The UPS Foundation is committed to delivering disaster relief and improving the well-being of the Haitian community by tapping into our partnerships and innovative logistical expertise for health and humanitarian solutions to those impacted by this awful disaster.”

The earthquake struck as Haiti was already coping with multiple crises, including widespread hunger, political instability, gang violence and rising food prices – all in the midst of an active hurricane season. Haiti has one of the highest levels of food insecurity in the world. Nearly half the population (about 4.4 million) was already struggling to put food on the table, and of those, 1.2 million are facing severe hunger. The U.N. World Food Programme, which has operated in Haiti since 1969, provided food assistance to 900,000 Haitians in 2020, with plans to reach 1.3 million in 2021.

###

The United Nations World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate and the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

World Food Program USA, a 501(c)(3) organization based in Washington, DC, proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/mission-history.

Media Contact:
Toula Athas
Director, Communications
World Food Program USA
tathas@wfpusa.org
202-627-3940

By Barron Segar

All of us at World Food Program USA have been heartbroken by the startling images of grieving families and devastated communities coming out of Haiti following the 7.2 magnitude earthquake on Saturday. As of August 16, the effects of the earthquake include over 1,300 fatalities, more than 5,000 people injured and 4,000 homes destroyed.

Americans watching and reading the breaking news reports are reminded of the devastation Haiti has already endured, including the massive earthquake in 2010 that left more than 200,000 dead and countless families homeless. The country is still recovering, even a decade later. Now, this quake is impacting vulnerable families as they deal with the increased threat of COVID-19, as well as multiple manmade crises: political instability, gang violence and high food prices. Even before this weekend’s earthquake, nearly half the population – 4.4 million people – needed immediate food assistance and over 1.2 million of them are suffering from severe hunger.

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is working closely with the Haitian government and authorities on the front lines of this emergency to support logistics efforts, transport lifesaving supplies and humanitarian workers to affected areas, and deliver emergency food assistance to people in field hospitals in Les Cayes and Jérémie. And, thanks to the U.S. government’s Agency for International Development (USAID), we have 3,500 metric tons of food prepositioned across the country to respond swiftly in case of disasters such as this one. This includes rice, beans and vegetable oil and can support up to 270,000 people for one month.

But a month-long state of emergency has just been declared by the government, and survivors will need weeks of support to get back on their feet.

We cannot do this work alone. I’m calling on the American people to please give their most generous gift today so we can ramp up our logistics response and rush lifesaving support to the people of Haiti. With your donation, the U.N. World Food Programme can deliver food to help people in urgent need when disaster strikes. A gift of $75 can provide an emergency box of food that can feed a family of five for an entire month. Please donate today.

###

World Food Program USA, a 501©(3) organization based in Washington, DC, proudly supports the mission of the United Nations World Food Programme by mobilizing American policymakers, businesses and individuals to advance the global movement to end hunger. Our leadership and support help to bolster an enduring American legacy of feeding families in need around the world. To learn more about World Food Program USA’s mission, please visit wfpusa.org/about-us.

Media Contact:
Bo Bartley
Senior Manager, Public Relations
bbartley@wfpusa.org
202-627-3737

KINSHASA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) has started providing emergency food rations to people displaced from their homes in Goma by the sudden eruption of Nyiragongo volcano on May 22.

The U.N. World Food Programme and partners have so far delivered food to some 43,000 displaced people in Sake, Minova and Rutshuru, towns close to Goma that have seen an influx of people fleeing their homes. Thousands of displaced people remain scattered across the region amid warnings of further eruptions. Those who have had to flee their homes have been receiving 10-day rations of flour, legumes, oil and salt.

“People are feeling helpless and getting desperate. The families that have fled are completely reliant on government and aid agencies for basics like food, water and shelter,” said Erwan Rumen, the U.N. World Food Programme’s Eastern Area Coordinator. “The U.N. World Food Programme is very concerned about the food and nutrition situation of the people forced out of their homes. We are providing them with the food assistance they need in this crisis.”

The eruption left more than 30 dead and caused an estimated 400,000 people to either flee their homes or to be evacuated. Families who left with their few belongings, either headed north on foot on the Rutshuru/Beni road, recently cleared of the lava that had blocked it, or round the lake towards the towns of Sake and Minova, located 17 miles and 29 miles west of Goma, respectively. Some with vehicles continued further south to Bukavu.

Based on assessments carried out over the past week, the U.N. World Food Programme aims to reach a total of 40,000 people in Sake, 65,000 in Minova and 60,000 in Rutshuru, while the U.N. World Food Programme in Rwanda is providing emergency food assistance to many others who have crossed the border.

Jointly with the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), the U.N. World Food Programme is also delivering food to 300 children who have been separated from their families in the chaos that followed the eruption.

North Kivu is already facing armed conflict, mainly in Beni territory where attacks on civilians continue. In efforts to bring stability to this conflict-hit province, the government has declared a security emergency there, and in Ituri, immediately to the north. Shortly after military rule was introduced, Nyiragongo erupted.

Notes to editor:

For high-resolution pictures, click here.

It’s been two years since Cyclone Idai ravaged central Mozambique, leaving destroyed lives and struggling communities in its wake. Since then, the vulnerable country has faced ongoing conflict, contested elections, drought and more devastating weather.

Then, Cyclone Eloise made landfall in January of 2021, destroying vital infrastructure and thousands of homes, dealing another devastating blow to families still trying to put their lives together after Cyclone Idai. In the north of the country, nearly 1 million people are facing a hunger crisis driven by violence, ongoing attacks from climate shocks and skyrocketing food prices.

Here’s a look back at our story of recovery post-Idai, one year after the storm:

BEIRA/JOHANNESBURG – A year after Cyclone Idai devastated much of central Mozambique, limited funding for essential reconstruction is preventing many of the hardest-hit people from getting back on their feet, according to the United Nations World Food Programme (WFP).

In the weeks after the strongest storm to ever hit the country, the U.N. World Food Programme’s emergency assistance kick-started the recovery of 1.8 million people. But many others, who are still struggling today, face a bleak and uncertain future.

Last month, funding shortfalls forced the U.N. World Food Programme to halve food rations for 525,000 people working on post-Idai recovery projects in the province of Sofala, the most damaged by the cyclone. This month, that vital support will be halted completely unless the U.N. World Food Programme receives funds soon.

“For people who had their lives turned upside down, our projects – community farms, road and bridge repair, the rebuilding of schools – are a source of hope,” said Lola Castro, the U.N. World Food Programme’s Regional Director for Southern Africa. “This essential work must continue if we want to see real and lasting recovery,” Castro added.

The upcoming April-May harvest is expected to be relatively good in the region. However, few of the 250,000 families whose homes were damaged by the cyclone have been able to return to their villages, let alone rebuild.

The U.N. World Food Programme needs $91 million to be able to fully implement rehabilitation projects for Idai victims this year.

Many are subsistence farmers whose crops were wiped out last year and who were unable to replant in time for this year. Most are enduring “crisis” or “emergency” levels of food insecurity, meaning they do not eat enough, borrow what they can from relatives or friends, forage for less-than-nourishing wild foods, and continue to need outside help to survive.

Mozambique has one of the highest rates of chronic malnutrition in the world – afflicting 43 percent of children under five – while acute malnutrition is on the rise among Idai-affected communities. A rare outbreak of Pellagra, a disease triggered by Vitamin B3 deficiency, has sickened almost 4,000 people in Sofala, with the numbers increasing rapidly.

Given the country’s heavy dependence on rain-fed, small-scale farming and its vulnerability to climate change – as underscored by Cyclone Kenneth causing widespread devastation just six weeks after Idai – significantly more investment is needed in climate change adaptation and disaster risk reduction.

“Boosting Mozambicans’ ability to withstand the impacts of increasingly severe drought and flooding was the core of our work before the cyclones struck,” said Castro. “It’s what we must resume now, and, with partners, step up in the coming years.”

###

The U.N. World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies, building prosperity and supporting a sustainable future for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

For more information please contact (email address: firstname.lastname@wfp.org): Steve Taravella, WFP/Washington, Tel. +1 202 653 1149

This is a summary of what was said by WFP spokesperson Tomson Phiri – to whom quoted text may be attributed – at today’s press briefing at the Palais des Nations in Geneva, Switzerland.

GENEVA – The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) is currently conducting needs assessments with the Government of Mozambique and partners. In order to have a full picture of the impact of the devastating cyclone and the extent of the damage, the U.N. World Food Programme is supporting both on ground and aerial assessments undertaken with drones.

While the full extent of needs will be revealed once ongoing assessments have been concluded, early indications are that the storm has further aggravated the precarious food security situation in Sofala province. People need food assistance now to cope and will need support to re-establish their livelihoods going forward.

The tropical cyclone comes at a very difficult time in Mozambique. January to March is the peak lean season – when people struggle the most to find food. Latest statistics from the IPC Acute Food Insecurity and Acute Malnutrition Analysis project that over 2.9 million people are facing high levels of food insecurity in rural and urban areas.

Ahead of the storm, the U.N. World Food Programme mobilized emergency stocks to support 100,000 people as part of its immediate response. A total of 640 metric tons (MT) of food is available in a U.N. World Food Programme central warehouse in Beira city and in the southern hub in Maputo, which can be trucked to affected areas across Sofala province. These resources are for the U.N. World Food Programme’s ongoing lean season response but can be utilized to provide life-saving assistance to people hard hit by Tropical Cyclone Eloise. However, more resources will be urgently needed to ensure we can mount an adequate response in a timely manner.

# # #

The U.N. World Food Programme is the 2020 Nobel Peace Prize Laureate. We are the world’s largest humanitarian organization, saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of climate change.

For more information, contact:

Tomson Phiri, WFP/Geneva, Tomson.Phiri@wfp.org, Mob. +41 79 842 8057

HAITI IN CRISIS

HAITI IN CRISIS