Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 25 July 2025

KEY FIGURES

• 68K hectares burned by wildfires so far in 2025 in Ucayali, Peru.
• 17.5K people displaced in Artibonite and West, Haiti since mid July.
• 150K people affected by severe rains and river overflows in Colombia.

REGIONAL: HURRICANE MONITORING

A low-pressure system in the Atlantic and two in the eastern Pacific show low to moderate chances of development, but none are forecast to impact the region.

HAITI: VIOLENCE & DISPLACEMENT

Renewed violence by armed groups in Haiti’s Artibonite and West departments has displaced over 17,500 people since mid-July. In Lower Artibonite, coordinated attacks in Dessalines and Verrettes on 16 July forced approximately 14,885 people to flee, with the vast majority taking refuge in Poste Pierrot. Additional clashes on 19 July in L’Estère caused further destruction and casualties. Simultaneously, some 2,688 people were displaced in Pétion-Ville, West department, following armed attacks on 17 July in multiple neighborhoods. Most are now residing in spontaneous sites or with host families.

Humanitarian access remains severely constrained due to insecurity, damaged infrastructure, and ongoing violence, limiting the scale and speed of response. Lower Artibonite remains almost entirely cut off from the rest of the department, severely hindering response. Urgent needs include shelter, food, hygiene items and health care, while humanitarian partners continue to monitor displacement trends and deliver aid where feasible.

COLOMBIA: FLOODING

Severe flooding caused by river overflows and intensified rainfall has affected at least 150,100 people (41,600 households) in Colombia’s Amazon and Orinoquía regions. Rural and Indigenous communities are being disproportionately affected, with Indigenous peoples accounting for at least 20 per cent of the total affected population across both regions. In Amazonas, 90 per cent of those affected are Indigenous, followed by 75 per cent in Guainía and 48 per cent in Vichada. Persistent rainfall is forecast to continue through September, heightening the risk of further impacts to communities and infrastructure. Additional flooding impacts have been reported in the Pacific region, particularly in Chocó and Nariño.

PERU: WILDFIRES & FLOODING

Peru is facing concurrent environmental emergencies, with wildfires and flooding impacting the country. In Ucayali, more than 68,000 hectares of forest have been burned so far in 2025, particularly in Nueva Requena, Masisea, and Campoverde. In Cusco, 78 wildfires have destroyed 779 hectares of vegetation and seven homes. Meanwhile, heavy rains in Loreto and Huánuco have affected 9,927 people and rendered 3,259 homes damaged or uninhabitable. Emergency responses are being led by local governments, firefighters, and community brigades, with support from regional teams. Authorities remain on alert as the National Meteorological Service (SENAMHI) warns of continued wildfire risk due to drought, heat, and high winds, while localized flooding risks persist in areas with saturated soils.