KEY FIGURES
- 1M+ people displaced across Haiti, a threefold increase in a year
- 18.3K people displaced in Catatumbo, Colombia, after armed attacks
- 338 districts across Peru under state of emergency due to heavy rains
COLOMBIA: DISPLACEMENT
During the last four days, more than 18,300 people have been displaced, and over 1,200 have been confined in the north-eastern Catatumbo region. The affected communities include indigenous peoples as well as migrant and refugee populations. Humanitarian emergencies in five municipalities have escalated since January 16 due to clashes between two non-state armed groups (NSAGs), with a risk of further armed violence following announcements by both NSAGs to continue their actions. Updated figures indicate that at least 150 teachers have fled the region, and more than 60 civilians have been killed. Venezuela is also reporting the arrival of hundreds of people from Catatumbo, mostly of Venezuelan origin. Institutional and humanitarian access has been restricted in several areas, preventing the verification of the needs of those confined, meaning the number of affected people could be higher. Immediate humanitarian needs include shelter, food assistance, safe water, health services, and protection measures, particularly for community leaders. The Local Coordination Team is deploying humanitarian assistance and are convening to evaluate the situation, assess response capacity and coordinate further actions.
HAITI: DISPLACEMENT
Haiti now has 1,041,229 internally displaced persons (IDPs), a threefold increase in displacement within a year and a 48 per cent rise since September 2024, representing 9 per cent of the country’s population, according to IOM’s Round 9 report (1 November – 30 December 2024). Armed violence in late 2024, particularly in the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (ZMPP), Arcahaie, and Artibonite, drove this surge. While displacement had previously risen more rapidly in provinces, this round shows a slightly greater increase in the capital (51 per cent) compared to provinces (47 per cent). Artibonite saw a 90 per cent increase, while areas outside the capital in the West department rose by 109 per cent.
Currently, 75 per cent of IDPs are hosted in provinces, mostly outside formal sites. Nationally, 83 per cent remain outside formal sites, often with host families, while 17 per cent are in 142 displacement sites, most of which (108) are in ZMPP. These sites are critically overcrowded, with inadequate access to food, clean water, sanitation, and education. Families in makeshift shelters face worsening conditions, mounting health challenges, and heightened protection risks.
UNICEF reports a 50 per cent rise in internally displaced children since September, equating to approximately 1 in 8 children in Haiti. Over half of Haiti’s displaced population are children, facing extreme risks of violence, including sexual abuse and exploitation, which has risen by 1,000 per cent in the past year.
PERU: SEVERE WEATHER
The Government declared a 60-day state of emergency across 338 districts in 20 regions, including Lima and Callao, to address the severe threat of heavy rainfall. An executive decree for the emergency will allow authorities to expedite urgent action to reduce risks and meet immediate needs. Local and regional governments are coordinating efforts with the National Institute of Civil Defense (INDECI). Key affected regions include Amazonas, Áncash, and Arequipa.
Disclaimer
- UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs
- To learn more about OCHA's activities, please visit https://www.unocha.org/.