Displaying items by tag: displaced people

Indonesia is facing a mounting humanitarian emergency after catastrophic floods killed at least 631 people and left nearly 500 missing, with rescue teams still struggling to reach isolated communities. Triggered by a rare cyclone over the Malacca Strait, the disaster has affected some 1.5 million people across Aceh, North Sumatra, and West Sumatra, cutting off entire districts and leaving about one million people displaced. Survivors describe torrents of water like a ‘tsunami’, while images show bridges swept away, roads buried in mud, and debris piled high. Many families have gone days without food as red tape, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing storms hinder aid deliveries. Grieving relatives wait anxiously near excavation sites, hoping missing loved ones will be found. Anger is growing over what critics say was poor preparedness and environmental mismanagement which worsened the devastation. The flooding comes as part of a broader regional crisis, with over 1,200 deaths across south and southeast Asia caused by intense monsoon rains amplified by rare cyclones and a warming climate.

Nearly 100,000 people in northern Mozambique have fled in recent weeks as armed groups have stormed their villages, often at night. They have burnt homes, killed civilians, and forced families to escape without belongings or documents. Nampula province now faces a fourth major influx of displaced people in recent months, pushing already fragile host communities beyond capacity. Schools, churches, and open spaces are overflowing, while humanitarian workers are struggling to respond to simultaneous attacks in many districts. Violence linked to the so-called IS has already displaced more than 1.3 million people since 2017, and now threatens communities which have previously been safe refuges. UNHCR warns that current funding covers only half of what is required, and needs will rise sharply into 2026. Lacking adequate shelter, food, and water, some families are returning to unsafe areas simply because overcrowded conditions leave them no other choice.

Testimonies from refugees in Mauritania reveal severe human rights abuses committed during counter-insurgency operations in Mali involving Russian mercenaries formerly associated with the Wagner Group. Witnesses describe arbitrary detentions, torture, and extrajudicial killings as civilians were accused of aiding jihadist insurgents. One former shopkeeper recounted being detained, threatened, and mistreated before later fleeing the country with his family. Others reported loved ones killed without explanation or being beaten while performing everyday tasks like herding livestock. Human rights monitors say these actions have spread fear and driven tens of thousands to flee across the border. Although Wagner has formally withdrawn, many of its operatives are now part of Russia’s Africa Corps, and concerns remain that abuses continue under a new name. Calls are growing for accountability and justice for victims, as communities struggle with trauma, displacement, and the loss of safety in their homeland.

One of the strongest Atlantic hurricanes ever recorded, Hurricane Melissa has left a trail of devastation across Jamaica, Haiti, and Cuba, killing at least 33 and displacing hundreds of thousands. Striking Jamaica as a Category 5 storm with winds of up to 185 mph, it tore roofs from homes, flooded entire communities, and crippled power and communication lines across the region. In Haiti, where fragile infrastructure magnified the disaster, scores are dead or missing after floodwaters swallowed coastal towns. Cuba also faces collapsed buildings and blocked roads, with hundreds of thousands forced into shelters. In Jamaica, 77% of the island lost power: emergency services were inundated by floods and unable to conduct emergency operations. Two airports have reopened, with the UN and other agencies ready to deliver aid. Amid the chaos, local leaders and residents describe scenes of heartbreak and resilience - families salvaging what little remains, emergency workers battling through mud and wreckage, and governments scrambling to restore hope. Recovery will be long, painful, and costly.

A baby girl born in Tibu, Colombia, on 11 February was just five days old when her family fled violence, joining over 55,000 displaced by escalating conflict. FARC dissidents and the National Liberation Army (ELN) have clashed in Catatumbo since January, forcing families to abandon homes amid kidnappings and attacks. The UN calls it Colombia’s largest mass displacement from a single event. In Cucuta, 120 km away, displaced families face uncertainty. Aid efforts struggle with limited resources as shelters and local hotels fill up. Farmers have left crops and livestock, worsening food shortages. Meanwhile, the violence exposes flaws in president Gustavo Petro’s ‘total peace’ policy, as negotiations with rebel groups repeatedly collapse. The state’s slow response to building infrastructure and curbing the coca trade has fuelled instability, leaving thousands to wonder when they can return home.

A devastating 7.1-magnitude earthquake struck Tibet on 6 January, claiming at least 126 lives and injuring 188, according to Chinese state media. Centred near the Nepalese border, the quake caused widespread destruction across remote Himalayan villages, damaging over 3,600 homes. Tremors were felt in Nepal, Bhutan, and parts of northern India. Rescue operations are under way, with over 400 individuals freed from rubble and 30,000 residents relocated. The harsh terrain and winter weather add challenges to the efforts. The quake caused significant damage in nearby Shigatse, a holy Tibetan city. Emergency aid, including tents and warm clothing, has been dispatched to support affected communities, where temperatures are expected to plummet below freezing. Chinese leader Xi Jinping has called on officials to make all-out efforts to search for and rescue survivors and provide for displaced residents, while the Dalai Lama extended condolences and prayers for victims. Rescuers continue to search for survivors in difficult conditions.

Haiti’s international airport has closed for the second time this year after suspected gang gunfire struck two US passenger planes. The UN has also paused helicopter landings, while the US embassy has warned citizens to avoid travel within the country due to unpredictable violence. Haiti’s instability, driven by rampant gang violence, has displaced over 700,000 people and claimed nearly 4,000 lives this year. Further evidence of the country’s fragility came with the ousting on 11 November of interim prime minister Garry Conille, who has been replaced by businessman Alix Didier Fils-Aimé. Many key transportation routes remain under the control of gangs who regularly kidnap bus passengers and truck drivers: many Port-au-Prince residents have no safe way out of the city. In October almost a hundred people were killed in a massacre by gang members sixty miles from the capital.

A new report by Oxfam reveals that hunger caused by global conflicts has reached unprecedented levels, with an estimated 7,000 to 21,000 people dying every day. The report, Food Wars, shows that nearly all of the 281.6 million people facing acute hunger live in countries experiencing conflict. Oxfam accuses warring parties of weaponising food, targeting vital infrastructure, and blocking aid deliveries. Conflict also drives record-high displacement, with 117 million people forcibly displaced. In areas like Sudan and Gaza, food aid is critically limited, exacerbating starvation. Oxfam points to the economic liberalisation model (focused on foreign investment and exports) as a key factor worsening inequality and instability in these regions. In particular, extractive industries, like mining in Sudan, have displaced people and degraded environments, creating unlivable conditions. The report calls on global leaders to address the root causes of this problem, and to hold perpetrators of ‘starvation crimes’ accountable under international law.

Amid escalating violence between Hezbollah and Israel, thousands of families in southern Lebanon, including many Christians, have fled their homes. As they move north, local churches have opened their doors, providing shelter, food, and medical supplies. Church leaders have stressed their commitment to helping all affected, regardless of denomination, showing God's love through practical support. Despite the challenges and fear brought by Israeli airstrikes, Lebanese Christians see this as an opportunity to reflect Christ’s love. Leaders of the Kurdish Church and the Evangelical Presbyterian Church are among those leading relief efforts, with church members also welcoming families into their homes. SAT-7 continues to broadcast live, bringing messages of hope amid the chaos. As many as 200,000 people have been displaced, and church leaders ask for prayers for peace and strength during these difficult times. Breaking news: an Israeli airstrike on Beirut has killed at least 22 people.

The UN has announced the delivery of aid to Haiti, which will help hundreds of displaced families due to the ongoing violence and the upcoming hurricane season. A spokesman said, ‘Two cargo flights organised by the World Food Programme (WFP) have landed in Port au Prince, carrying 55 tonnes of medicine, shelter and hygiene materials. The WFP school meals programme has distributed some 30 million meals across the country since the start of the current school year: of these, nearly 17 million have been provided through its programme which supports local farmers. The education sector has been severely impacted by the recent violence, with more than 200,000 children and 4000 teachers affected.’ Haiti’s hurricane season, which lasts from June to November, is forecast to be severe this year. A gang-fuelled crisis has devastated the country, and the UN estimates that currently 360,000 people are displaced.