Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 21 February 2025

KEY FIGURES

• 19.5K people affected by severe rains in Nariño, Colombia
• 2K people crossed through the Darien Gap in January 2025, a significant drop
• 4.1K people displaced due to coordinated attacks in Kenscoff, Haiti

SOUTH AMERICA: HEAVY RAINFALL

Severe weather continues to cause widespread disruption across parts of South America, worsening humanitarian needs in already vulnerable areas.

COLOMBIA: Since 11 February, heavy rainfall has affected more than 19,500 people in three municipalities of the Pacific region of Nariño. The impact has been particularly severe on agricultural, Indigenous, and Afro-descendant communities in Barbacoas, Roberto Payán, and Tumaco. Tumaco has declared a public calamity, with damage to at least 15 educational institutions forcing school closures, affecting some 2,660 students. Across the affected areas, the rains have caused widespread destruction of homes, loss of crops and livelihoods, and restricted access to food, safe water, health, and education. The situation has also exacerbated psychosocial distress and increased protection risks for vulnerable populations.

ECUADOR: In Ecuador, prolonged heavy rainfall has now affected over 7,500 people and resulted in at least nine fatalities since January. The hardest-hit provinces—Azuay, Carchi, Esmeraldas, Pichincha, Santo Domingo, Los Ríos, Guayas, and Manabí—are grappling with overflowing rivers, road closures, and growing public health concerns due to accumulating stagnant water. Authorities have intensified response efforts, distributing relief items to 464 people in Cantón Simón Bolívar and activating the National Emergency Operations Committee (COE) to coordinate humanitarian response and mitigation measures.

PERU: Meanwhile, in Peru, heavy rainfall since 17 February has triggered flooding in the Puno region, affecting 50 people and damaging 50 homes in Tiquillaca district. With further rainfall forecast across the region, additional flooding, landslides, and displacement remain serious concerns.

HAITI: VIOLENCE & DISPLACEMENT

Violence across Haiti continues to uproot lives, disrupt services and limit resources. In Kenscoff, continuous armed attacks since 27 January are driving further displacement, with 4,169 people now forcibly displaced, an increase of more than 1,000 since last week. On 13 February, armed groups set fire to the State University Hospital of Haiti (HEUH), exacerbating an already dire health situation. Simultaneously, hunger levels are reaching alarming heights. A recent ActionAid survey revealed that 99 per cent of families are skipping meals due to the inability to afford food, 95 per cent have gone to bed hungry in the past month, and 88 per cent report at least one family member going a full day without eating. Meanwhile, humanitarian efforts are significantly underfunded, with only 5.1 per cent (US$46 million) of the required US$908.2 million for the 2025 Humanitarian Response Plan secured. As needs continue to escalate, humanitarian partners are addressing immediate needs, including food security, health, and protection, but urgently require funding to scale up their response.

REGIONAL: MIGRATION

Migration trends in the region are shifting, with only 2,229 people passing through the Darien Gap in January 2025 according to Panamanian authorities, a sharp drop from 36,001 in January 2024. At the same time, there has been a notable surge in reverse migration, with nearly 500 migrants, primarily Venezuelans, transferred from Chiriquí near the Costa Rica border to the Lajas Blancas reception centre in Panama’s Darién jungle. This increase has resulted from challenges migrants face in Costa Rica, including misinformation and limited opportunities to continue their journey. Meanwhile, migrants at reception centres struggle with reduced humanitarian assistance due to funding shortfalls, impacting protection, education, and nutrition services, especially for children and adolescents.