Asia and the Pacific: Weekly Regional Humanitarian Snapshot (5 - 11 May 2025)

AFGHANISTAN

Between 5 and 10 May, severe weather conditions—including heavy rain, windstorms, thunder-storms, and flash floods—resulted in the loss of seven lives and affected 183 families across the eastern and southeastern regions of Afghanistan. In the eastern region, intense rain and windstorms killed two people, injured 32 others and affected 183 families across Kunar, Laghman and Nangarhar provinces. Structural damage to homes and public infrastructures was also reported, along with significant crop losses. In the southeastern province of Khost, flash floods and thunderstorms led to five deaths, including two children and injured one person. The floods also caused livestock losses and damaged wheat crops across 300 jeribs of farmland. OCHA and humanitarian partners are assessing the situation and providing emergency assistance to affected communities.

MYANMAR

An accidental fire at the Say Thar Mar Gyi IDP camp near Sittwe, Rakhine State, killed two people and destroyed shelters housing over 1,200 displaced people. The fire on 2 May 2025 also damaged or destroyed key facilities, with immediate needs reported for shelter, non-food items, clean water, health services, and psychosocial support. Humanitarian partners have provided core relief items, shelter toolkits, hygiene and dignity kits to the affected families. Local authori-ties also supported with rice, makeshift tents, buckets and other food supplies. This is the second fire reported in displacement sites in Rakhine this year.

Across Rakhine and Paletwa Township in Chin, more than 590,000 people remain displaced from their homes, including about 385,500 displaced since the re-escalation of conflict in November 2023.

PHILIPPINES

On 13 May, at 2:55 am (local time) Kanlaon Volcano in Negros Oriental province (543 kilometres south of the capital Manila), erupted anew. The eruption, classified as moderately explosive, generated a substantial volcanic plume reaching approximately 4,500 metres above the crater. Observations reported the ejection of large ballistic fragments within a few hundred meters of the crater, causing the burning of vegetation near the volcano summit. Thin ashfall was also recorded across multiple towns. The Philippines Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHILVOLCS) maintains Alert Level 3 (magmatic unrest) over the volcano. Communities within a 6km radius of the summit crater remain evacuated due to the danger posed by volcanic hazards.

According to the Department of Social Welfare and Development’s (DSWD) Situation Report, more than 89,620 people have been affected since the eruption in late 2024. Approximately 20,000 people remain displaced and are currently accommodated in 20 evacuation centres. ³