Asia and the Pacific: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (13 - 19 February 2024)

INDONESIA

Between 16 - 19 February 2024, flooding caused significant destruction in several regions across Indonesia. The Bungo District of Jambi, Sumbawa District of West Nusa Tenggara, Palopo City of South Sulawesi, and Surabaya and Gresik Cities of East Java were all affected. These floods were instigated by heavy rainfall, leading to the overflow of river embankments. Tens of thousands of individuals felt the direct impact, with approximately 1,500 people forced to seek temporary shelter. Meanwhile, in Demak, floods began to subside, but as of February 19th, 2024, over 24,000 individuals remained displaced. Both local government entities and NGOs promptly initiated humanitarian efforts, offering evacuation assistance and provision of essential supplies such as food, clean water, temporary shelter and medical aid.

MYANMAR

Conflict continues in various parts of the country, with a deteriorating situation in Rakhine. Rakhine has seen escalating fighting between the Arakan Army and the Myanmar Armed Forces and constraints on humanitarian access despite escalating needs. A ceasefire in northern Shan is holding, allowing the majority of those displaced at the end of 2023 to return home. Almost 23,000 people who fled their homes in northern Shan because of the conflict escalation last year remain displaced in 141 sites in 15 townships. Meanwhile, the conflict situation in the country’s Northwest and Southeast continues with armed clashes, airstrikes and mortar shelling threatening civilian safety and driving displacement. According to the latest UN figures as of 12 February, nearly 2.7 million people remain internally displaced nationwide. This includes almost 2.4 million people who have been displaced after the military takeover in February 2021.

PHILIPPINES

As of 19 February, the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) disclosed that the combined effects of the Northeast monsoon and the Trough of Low-Pressure Area (LPA) had affected 471,819 families, totalling over 1.5 million individuals across five regions, 13 provinces, and 881 barangays in Mindanao. Over 210,000 people remain displaced, most outside evacuation centres, while the remainder are accommodated in 68. Specifically, in Mawab and Maco towns in Davao De Oro, approximately 4,900 individuals are residing in evacuation centres following the Masara landslide incident, resulting in 93 reported fatalities and eight missing individuals. The NDRRMC documented a total of 49 landslide incidents as of 13 February. Additionally, 25,010 hectares of crops were damaged, affecting 19,071 farmers. The government is spearheading response efforts, with support from the Regional Offices of Civil Defense in Mindanao and Bangsamoro, providing non-food items, hygiene, sleeping, kitchen and shelter kits.