TIGRAY, 19 November 2020 – Over 5,000 new Ethiopian refugees registered in Sudan within a day with a total of 28,286 individuals comprising of female and male of different ages.

Out of them, 17,488 refugees are at Hamdayet, 9,911 at Lugdi, 209 at Abdrafi border point, and 678 at Blue Nile State.

Considering the emerging civil war situation, Tigray’s residents have started reaching the boarding country Sudan for safety.

The United Nations High Commissioner for Refugees (UNHCR), United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF), and World Food Programme (WFP) provided the refugees at Hamdayet transit centre with clean drinking water in barrels and water tanks, tents, food, and additional items.

UNHCR and Commissioner for Refugees (COR) relocated a total of 2,493 refugees from Hamdayet transit centre to the new settlement site in Um Raquba with a site capacity of 6,500 individuals.

There is an urgent need to assessing potential new settlement sites to accommodate the high influx of refugees expected in the coming weeks to ease the pressure at the transit centres and be able to address their necessities.

The new arrivals are placed in Almedinah village of Alfashaga locality which also serves as a reception centre for a short stay of 72 hours.

About 6,000 new arrivals entered in Kassala state through Ahumara agreed to be moved to Um Raquba old refugee camp in East Galabat, Gadaref state.

The urgent needs are including food items such as sugar, flour, cooking oil, beans, ready-to-eat meal, emergency water tank with pipe connection, hygiene kits, trench latrines or identification of defecation area, and insecticide for vector control.

The medical team comprising of the Ministry of Health in Gadaref state and Sudanese Red Crescent (SRC) provided drugs, plastic sheets, sprayers, chlorine for water disinfection, and exploring the treatment of minor medical cases.

UNHCR reported that buses are ready to move those new arrivals to the identified site.

Islamic Relief is currently aligning its response with the government and other operational partners to ensure immediate support to the affected people, apart from developing an Emergency Response Plan consisting of water, sanitation and hygiene (WASH), food security, and non-food items in response to the emerged emergency and outgrown needs.

Philippines, 9 November 2020 – At least 1.6 people in six regions of Luzon, Philippines were affected as super Typhoon Goni pounded the Philippines on November 1^st.

The tragedy has made for landfalls in Bato, Catanduanes; Tiwi, Albay; San Narciso, Quezon; and Lobo, Batangas.

According to the National Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (NDRRMC), the damages caused by the typhoon to the agriculture and infrastructure sectors are marked at more than RM1 million.

The urgent needs were identified as food and non-food items (NFI) such as hygiene and Covid-19 protection kits.

Islamic Relief Philippines is on the ground to do some assessment and working closely with other organizations to help those affected people.

Philippines, 2 November 2020 – At least sixteen people were killed while thousands of houses and buildings were reported damaged and destroyed as Typhoon Goni hit Philippines which also led to landslides and floods.

Almost 1 million people had to be evacuated to temporary evacuation centers.

The incident has also affected the electricity and water supply throughout the province meanwhile most of the roads cannot be access.

Typhoon Goni has brought strong winds speeds of 190-kilometers per hour.

According to Islamic Relief Philippines, currently, 345,000 people are evacuated in evacuation center.

Islamic Relief Philippines is working closely with local organizations to help the affected population.

LEBANON, 6 October 2020 – Analysis from the Multi-Sector Needs Assessment shows that food remains the second-top priority needs alongside cash and shelter repairs.

The Beirut Port explosions that occurred last August have caused the death of at least 180 people. Meanwhile, 6,500 injured and left the country with further pressure on the deteriorating economic crisis.

According to World Health Organisation (WHO), the total number of Covid-19 cases in Lebanon stands at 43,480 as of 3 October has caused more than 389 deaths, and at least 1,102 health workers are tested positive so far.

The authorities imposed the lockdown of 111 towns and villages across Lebanon due to the spike in Covid-19 new cases.

There are 1,495 buildings required for water, sanitation, and hygiene (WASH) intervention. Meanwhile, 533 had connection issues to the main urban water network bringing a total of 6,500 buildings that were assessed since the beginning of the response.

The severe damage to the Beirut Port and devaluation of the Lebanese pound has pushed food prices even further beyond the reach of many vulnerable people as Lebanon imports nearly 85 per cent of its food.

To date, a total of 23,380 beneficiaries received the distribution of food packs. Meanwhile, 2,748 families received hygiene kits including personal protective equipment (PPE), and 10,300 people were benefited from the debris removal and distribution of refreshments at the hospital.

Islamic Relief is currently aligning its response through a multi-sector intervention to ensure immediate support to the affected people apart from continuing the distribution of household food parcels and hygiene kits, including PPE in response to the outgrown needs.