Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 6 December 2024

KEY FIGURES

18K people affected by armed actions in Arauca, Colombia in 2024

18.7K families affected by flooding across Haiti

529K customers left without electricity in Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil due to severe weather

HAITI: FLOODING

Severe flooding across northern and southern Haiti has affected more than 18,700 families and left at least five people dead, 13 injured and five missing. In Cap Haïtien, heavy rainfall since 2 December caused widespread flooding, affecting over 12,500 families and covering the city centre in mud and debris. A state of environmental emergency has been declared, enabling aid distribution, including food and hygiene kits. In the Sud department, floods have affected 4,175 families in areas such as Les Cayes and Port-Salut, with relief efforts mobilizing supplies and cash assistance. In Grand’Anse, torrential rains triggered landslides and river overflows, destroying crops, damaging homes and affecting more than 2,300 families. Government agencies and humanitarian partners are providing food, medical aid, and shelter for displaced individuals while addressing urgent needs for hygiene kits and medical supplies. The UN and local authorities are coordinating further response efforts, including inter-agency missions to assess and address critical needs.

COLOMBIA: CONFINEMENT

More than 2,500 people are currently confined in the municipality of Arauquita, Arauca, due to ongoing clashes. The violence has left affected communities in 15 rural areas with limited access to healthcare and other basic services. Additionally, community members are facing barriers to exercising rights and protection guarantees, and struggling with restrictions on the commercialization of their products, further worsening food security. This is the latest in a string of violence in Arauca this year, with armed actions surging by 77 per cent in the department compared to 2023, affecting nearly 18,000 people - a sharp rise from 3,200 in the same period last year.

BRAZIL: SEVERE WEATHER

Severe weather, including heavy rainfall, strong winds, and thunderstorms, has caused significant damage across Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil, since late November. Strong winds have damaged homes and impacted infrastructure across 35 municipalities, with a wind-related incident at a public event in Arroio do Tigre reportedly injuring at least 50 people. Power outages have affected approximately 529,000 properties, with thousands still without electricity as repair efforts continue. The severe weather, driven by a cold front combined with a low-pressure system, comes just months after the state endured its worst flooding in history, which many were still recovering from. The catastrophic flooding in April affected nearly 2.4 million people, resulting in 183 deaths and widespread damage across 478 municipalities. While drier conditions are forecasted in the coming days, recovery efforts are ongoing as communities face repeated and compounding crises.

CUBA: ENERGY CRISIS

On 4 December, Cuba experienced its third nationwide blackout in less than two months, plunging millions, including Havana residents, into darkness and forcing the closure of schools and public activities. The outage was caused by the shutdown of the Antonio Guiteras power plant, the largest in the country, which overwhelmed the already fragile power grid. While electricity has since been restored, authorities have resumed rolling five-hour daily blackouts due to persistent energy shortages. Cuba’s aging oil-fired plants, reduced fuel imports from Venezuela, Russia, and Mexico, and recent hurricanes have exacerbated the crisis. This latest blackout comes only one week after the UN system in Cuba launched a US $78.3 million Plan of Action to support recovery efforts and address urgent needs in the wake of the recent hurricanes and earthquakes.