Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 6 February 2026

KEY FIGURES

• 27K families affected by ongoing flooding and landslides in Colombia
• $23M mobilized so far to support 1 million in Cuba affected by Hurricane Melissa
• 66K hectares burned by ongoing wildfires in south-central Chile

CHILE: WILDFIRES

Wildfires continue to severely impact south‑central Chile, with persistent hotspots across Biobío, Ñuble, Maule, Los Ríos, Valparaíso, and Isla de Pascua, where a red alert was declared due to an imminent threat to homes. As of 3 February, over 66,000 hectares have burned resulting in 21 deaths, 333 injuries, 21,803 people affected, and 4,137 homes destroyed, mostly in Biobío and Ñuble. Authorities have begun early recovery efforts, including the Bono de Recuperación, large‑scale debris removal, and support for agricultural and apiculture recovery. Emergency distributions include 130 tons of essentials, ongoing shelter services, mental‑health support teams, reinforced vaccination campaigns, and the installation of initial emergency housing. International assistance includes European Union FAST specialists, 145 Mexican brigadistas, US equipment, and regional technical support, while UN agencies continue coordination, protection activities, and damage assessments.

HAITI: FOOD INSECURITY

Food insecurity in Haiti remains severe as armed violence continues to disrupt markets, limit mobility, and restrict humanitarian access, sustaining Crisis (IPC Phase 3) and Emergency (IPC Phase 4) outcomes across both urban and rural areas. Several neighbourhoods in the Port‑au‑Prince metropolitan zone, including Cité Soleil and Croix‑des‑Bouquets, remain in Emergency conditions. Recent surges in violence have displaced thousands and left hundreds injured, further straining already limited resources. Poor households increasingly rely on harmful coping strategies such as reducing meals, taking on debt, or selling productive assets, while insecurity and high input costs hinder winter crop production and threaten food availability as the February - June lean season begins.

CUBA: ENERGY CRISIS

Cuba faces a worsening humanitarian situation as a severe fuel shortage drives widespread power cuts, rising food prices, and growing pressure on essential services. UN officials report that vulnerable populations, including older persons, children, and those reliant on social protection systems, are experiencing heightened needs as economic stress compounds already strained access to healthcare, education, and food rations. The UN team in Cuba is supporting efforts to strengthen energy resilience, while continuing to assist recovery from Hurricane Melissa. A US$74 million response plan is underway to assist more than 2.2 million people affected by the hurricane, with around $23 million mobilized to date for the one million most vulnerable people.

COLOMBIA: FLOODING

Severe flooding, rising waters and landslides have affected more than 27,000 families across 172 municipalities in Colombia, according to preliminary reports from the National Unit for Disaster Risk Management (UNGRD). The most affected departments, Córdoba, Cauca, Antioquia and Nariño, report widespread damage to homes, crops, and essential services, while saturated soils and elevated river levels continue to threaten additional communities. Authorities have deployed coordinated humanitarian assistance, including delivering humanitarian kits in Córdoba, technical teams in high‑risk areas, and rescue efforts supported by national emergency services. Humanitarian partners are supporting UNGRD to complement response efforts, particularly in shelter, as forecasts indicate persistent above‑normal rainfall into February.