Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 7 March 2025

KEY FIGURES

• 208K people affected by severe rains across Peru and Ecuador
• 20K people confined by a NSAG in Cauca, Colombia
• 24K people displaced due to armed violence since 14 February in ZMPAP, Haiti

SOUTH AMERICA: HEAVY RAINFALL

Heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides continue to impact South America.

ECUADOR: Ecuador has requested additional support as severe flooding and landslides worsen across the country. As of 7 March, floods and landslides have affected at least 80,126 people across 23 provinces, with at least 16 confirmed fatalities. The weather has also damaged at least 21,000 homes and destroyed 98. The National Secretariat for Risk Management (SNGR) has activated the National Emergency Operations Centre (COE) and several provincial and cantonal COEs to coordinate the response. The humanitarian community is closely monitoring the ongoing situation and coordinating response capacities, with further heavy rainfall expected in the coming days.

PERU: Heavy rains and flooding have now affected 128,000 people in Peru, including 38,534 children. In Tumbes, over 16,000 families are without drinking water, and key infrastructure, including 21 health centres and 18 schools, has been damaged. The government declared a state of emergency in 18 regions, including Tumbes. A dengue outbreak is adding to the crisis, with over 11,800 cases, including 4,000 children.

ARGENTINA & BRAZIL: Since 2 March, heavy rainfall in Brazil’s Amazonas state and Argentina’s Buenos Aires province has caused significant flooding and landslides. In Amazonas, by 5 March, two people were injured, one was missing, and 103 families were affected, with power outages reported. In Buenos Aires, flooding has led to one fatality, over 680 evacuations, and damage to around 20 buildings. Both regions are facing continued rainfall, which is expected to worsen conditions and further challenge response efforts.

HAITI: VIOLENCE & DISPLACEMENT

Clashes between armed groups and authorities persist in Haiti, with Médecins Sans Frontières (MSF) noting a marked surge in violence since late February and an increasing number of wounded people and medical needs. In the municipality of Saut d’Eau, Centre department, armed attacks since 1 March have displaced 6,642 people, with the majority seeking refuge with host families. In the Metropolitan Area of Port-au-Prince (ZMPAP), ongoing violence since 14 February has displaced 24,155 people - almost double what was previously reported. Half of the displaced are with host families, while the other half have found refuge in 34 sites, including 7 newly created. The displacement is exacerbating a humanitarian crisis, as the newly displaced join those in already overcrowded makeshift camps with limited access to clean water and sanitation. The situation is further compounded by the upcoming rainy season, which is expected to worsen hygiene conditions and increase the risk of disease outbreaks, including cholera.

COLOMBIA: CONFINEMENT

More than 20,100 Afro-Colombian and Indigenous people in López de Micay, Cauca, are facing confinement due to the presence and control of a non-state armed group (NSAG) in both rural and urban areas. The situation is affecting the entire population in the region, restricting access to essential goods and services, forcing the closure of businesses and the suspension of classes for at least 5,441 students. Operational constraints at local health posts are severely limiting health services. Community leaders face heightened protection risks. The NSAG controls key land and river routes, blocking movement in and out of the municipality, restricting humanitarian aid and limiting fundamental rights. The municipal administration lacks the capacity to respond, further limiting institutional assistance and exacerbating humanitarian needs.

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