1. Bangladesh - Tropical Storm Mahasen struck southern districts on 16 May. The Joint Needs Assessment (JNA) is ongoing and preliminary findings are due to be presented tomorrow (21 May). 17 people have reportedly lost their lives, JNA results will provide a better understand of the impact of the cyclone on shelter and livelihoods.
   Source: PDC, OCHA Flash Update No. 7

Updated 7 May 2013, 13:04 AEST

The international aid agency Oxfam says the flooding situation in Papua New Guinea's East Sepik province has now reached crisis point.

Seven people have been confirmed dead and about 11,500 people have been affected by flooding along the Sepik River.

Phillippe Allen, Oxfam Australia's associate country director for PNG, says although flooding is a regular occurrence, water levels have risen excessively in this wet season.

1. DPR Korea - Crisis Watch classifies the situation in DPR Korea as "deteriorating" in response to recent decisions by the authorities there to cut off communications with the Rep. of Korea; an order to ensure its rockets are combat-ready and targeting US bases in the region, and its declaration that it was in a "state of war" with the Rep. of Korea. Source: ICG

Food supplies are dwindling for more than 5000 villagers in Central Bougainville as a result of continuous heavy rain.

Food gardens in the coastal village of Rorovana have been washed away and an appeal has gone out for emergency government assistance.

Regional disaster coordinator, Franklin Lacui, told Radio Australia's Pacific Beat a long term plan to help the villagers relocate has been put into action, but decisions are yet to be made on the immediate issue of food aid.

1. Solomon Islands - An magnitude 8 earthquake struck, triggering a tsunami affecting the Santa Cruz islands (Temotu Province). Initial reports say 700 HHs are affected, 3.500 people are displaced and 9 people killed. A state of emergency has been declared and the GoSL is leading the response with support from Int'l NGOs and the Red Cross.
   Source: OCHA

Posted at 07:53 on 04 February, 2013 UTC

The United States Agency for International Development is giving the Papua New Guinea Red Cross 50,000 US dollars to support disaster relief efforts in Morobe and Oro provinces.

Read the full article on Radio New Zealand International

1. Philippines - TC Bopha (Pablo) struck the southern Philippines in early December. The risk of floods and landslides due to heavy rains persists in typhoon-affected areas hampering humanitarian activities. The revised Action Plan was launched in Manila on 25 January asking for US$76 million. A low pressure area continues to affect areas in Mindanao causing flash floods and a landslide affecting nearly 40,000 people.
   Source: OCHA

Release of the 2011-12 Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness

The inaugural Annual Review of Aid Effectiveness was released today by Foreign Minister Bob Carr. This new and important document is part of a suite of reforms flowing from the 2011 Independent Review of Aid Effectiveness. Its purpose is to inform Cabinet discussion of the four-year budget strategy outlined in the Comprehensive Aid Policy Framework and report on the aid program’s performance against the Framework.

NATURAL DISASTERS IN 2012

After an intense year of natural disasters in 2011, countries in the Asia-Pacific region welcomed a reduction in the number of events in 2012. OCHA and the Centre for Research on the Epidemiology of Disasters recorded 93 natural disaster events in 2012, in which over 3,200 people were killed and more than 75 million people were affected. China and the Philippines experienced the most disasters in 2012.