On Thursday 16th May 2013, Cyclone Mahasen hit the coastal district of Patuakhali in Bangladesh. Officials had prepared for the storm before its arrival, evacuating nearly a million people, reducing fatalities to just 14.

17 May 2013 - Christian Aid is releasing £100,000 emergency funds to partner organisations in Bangladesh to help them distribute food and provide emergency assistance to vulnerable communities hit by Cyclone Mahasen. Nearly 1.3 million people have been affected, 128,000 homes destroyed and 14 people are dead after heavy rain and cyclone-strength rains hit low-lying coastal regions of Bangladesh on Thursday evening.

Link: Uganda: Kasese Floods DREF operation n° MDRUG033

It covers the period from: Thu, 16 May 2013 : 2130 to Thu, 17 May 2013 : 1700

Hazards
1. Cyclone
2. Storm Surge
3. Landslide

Affected Areas: Chittagong, Noakhali, Borguna, Patuakhali, Bhola, Pirozpur, Laxmipur, Satkhira

CHF 300,794 has been allocated from the IFRC’s Disaster Relief Emergency Fund (DREF) to support the Uganda Red Cross Society (URCS) in delivering immediate assistance to some 6,500 beneficiaries. Unearmarked funds to repay DREF are encouraged.

MERCY Malaysia Head of Relief Operation, Hew Cheong Yew is currently in the Rakhine region, assessing the needs of the distressed community, as well as providing basic medical aid

According Hew, he is now working together with the local government as well as other NGOs in the area to serve those who have been relocated due to Cyclone Mahasen to schools and monasteries which are currently being used as evacuation centers

In the month of April 20132, the Gu (April – June) rains were heavy in the 1st dekad, but slightly declined in the 2nd and 3rd dekads across Somalia. Significantly above average rainfall has been recorded in some stations in Togdheer, Sool, W. Galbeed, Mudug, Bay, Gedo, Hiran and the Shabelle’s (Map 1 and Table 1). Enhanced rainfall in Somalia and in Ethiopian highlands, in the first dekad of April increased river flows along the two rivers and subsequently led to floods in Middle Shabelle (Jowhar and Wanlaweyn) and Lower Shabelle (Kurtunwarey and Balad). In Jowhar, the river

Political and Security South-central:

On 6 May, Al Shabab fighters ambushed the Raskambooni police base in Dobley town.
The armed clashes lasted more than half an hour and one Raskambooni soldier died during the attack and three others were seriously injured. Two days later, the militants launched another hit and run attack against the Somali government forces manning a checkpoint at Shaqalaha neighborhood on the exit road to Afmadow west of Kismayo.

No casualties were reported. Tension remains high in Dobley and its surrounding areas.

Intense seasonal Gu rains have led to flooding, damaged an estimated 6,397 hectares of crops and displaced about 50,000 people in the Country. Strong rains in the Ethiopian highlands led to worrying increases in water levels along the Juba and Shabelle rivers. Flash floods were reported in Baidoa and Jowhar areas.