Attachments
HIGHLIGHTS
- Following the devastation caused by Typhoon Yagi—one of the most powerful storms to hit Southeast Asia in decades – heavy rains have continued to batter many of the hardest-hit areas. Needs assessments reveal that over 5.6 million people, including at least 1.6 million children, were directly affected by the resulting floods and landslides across Viet Nam, Myanmar, Lao PDR, and Thailand. The disaster has severely disrupted access to clean water, essential social services, education, healthcare, food, and shelter, leaving millions in urgent need of assistance. An additional 1.6 million people, including approximately 308,000 children, have been affected by the recent floods in Thailand southern border provinces in late November 2024.
- UNICEF seeks US$ 30,076,500 to address the most critical life-saving multisectoral needs of children and their families impacted by the disasters, while also supporting early recovery efforts in affected communities.
- In Lao PDR, UNICEF distributed specially designed learning kits to 1,653 early childhood and primary school children. These comprehensive kits included backpacks, writing books, pencils, crayons, essential learning materials, and hygiene products.
- UNICEF in Myanmar reached more than 141,500 people with critical WASH supplies, including water purification chemicals, hygiene kits, soap bars, and water storage containers.
- In Thailand, UNICEF provided household hygiene kits to over 6,600 people and distributed baby kits to 1,900 families. These baby kits also included essential messages on flood recovery hygiene, infant and young child feeding practices, parenting, and overall wellness for families with children.
- In Viet Nam, 936 households, including 550 children, received UNICEFsupported multi-purpose humanitarian cash assistance, provided in coordination with the Viet Nam Disaster and Dyke. Management Authority.
SITUATION IN NUMBERS
People affected:
Lao PDR: 319,000
Myanmar: 1,000,000
Thailand: 2,362,508
Viet Nam: 3,600,000
People in need:
Lao PDR: 92,000
Viet Nam: 570,000
Children affected:
Lao PDR: 115,000
Myanmar: 338,000
Thailand: 437,119
Viet Nam: 1,029,600
Children in need:
Lao PDR: 24,000
Viet Nam: 163,020
FUNDING OVERVIEW AND PARTNERSHIPS
UNICEF seeks US$ 30,076,500 to address the emergency and recovery needs of the most vulnerable children and their families affected by the floods and landslides caused by Typhoon Yagi and the heavy monsoon rains across Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam between September and November 2024. This funding will enable UNICEF to support multi-sectoral interventions covering nutrition, health, water sanitation and hygiene (WASH), education, child protection, gender-based violence in emergencies, protection against sexual exploitation and abuse, social protection and cash-based programming, social behaviour change (SBC), accountability to affected populations (AAP), humanitarian leadership and sector/cluster coordination.
UNICEF was able to rapidly mobilize US$ 225,000 from existing Regional Humanitarian Thematic Funds, thanks to the generous support of the Government of Korea as the main contributor for the funds. Additional internal resources have been mobilized by UNICEF Country Offices, including an internal UNICEF loan from the Emergency Programme Fund (EPF) facility to UNICEF Viet Nam (for US $2,400,000) and UNICEF Myanmar (for US $757,630) that will require reimbursement, and an allocation of Global Humanitarian Thematic Funds to UNICEF Laos PDR (US$ 150,000). UNICEF Viet Nam has also received timely support from the Irish Government, UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, Government of Japan, German, Switzerland and Korean National Committees for UNICEF and the private sector. UNICEF Lao PDR was able to reprogramme funding previously received from the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) and from the Australian National Committee for UNICEF to support the initial response needs. UNICEF Myanmar received generous support for flood response from the Government of Japan, the Government of Korea, the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) Bureau for Humanitarian Assistance (BHA), the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF), and an internal loan from the EPF. UNICEF Thailand has been able to mobilise funding through Private Sector Fundraising (PSFR) operations.
Flexible thematic funding is essential to reach the most vulnerable children and families with life-saving support while also enabling recovery efforts. UNICEF in Lao PDR, Myanmar, Thailand and Viet Nam will continue to adapt and respond to the critical humanitarian needs in these countries as they evolve. UNICEF is grateful to all its partners for their continued support and collaboration and appeals for further assistance to the most vulnerable children in the region affected by Typhoon Yagi and continuing monsoon rains.
SITUATION OVERVIEW AND HUMANITARIAN NEEDS
Lao PDR
Typhoon Yagi triggered widespread flooding across Lao PDR, impacting 319,000 people, including approximately 115,000 children. Several provinces suffered extensive damage, with Luang Namtha being the hardest hit, where 60,000 people were severely impacted. In response, the UN, in collaboration with the Government of Lao PDR, conducted a needs and early recovery assessment in two districts covering 34 village in Luang Namtha province. 1 The assessment reports that more than 400 water systems were damaged leaving 2,686 households without access to clean water. This highlights an urgent need for water purification, improved sanitation, and the provision of hygiene materials. In these villages, 34 schools were severely affected, impacting 4,491 students. These schools now urgently need furniture, learning and teaching materials, as well as access to clean water including handwashing facilities and latrines. Six healthcare facilities were also damaged, raising concerns around the potential spread of infectious diseases, diarrhoea and respiratory illnesses. The Namtha District Health Office (DHO) is one of the hardest-hit facilities and remains closed, disrupting health services for 10 villages and the 63,863 people it serves. To ensure the continuation of health services, mobile health teams and infrastructure repairs are urgently needed. Health workers require capacity building for screening and detecting malnutrition cases and providing counselling on infant and young child feeding practices. The overall impact reveals significant challenges for vulnerable populations, particularly women and children. There is an urgent need for psychosocial support and dignity/hygiene items for women and girls. Key areas of concern include increased risks of gender-based violence and heightened child protection issues. The total estimated loss from the floods stands at US$ 264.3 million, encompassing both immediate humanitarian needs and longer-term recovery requirements across all sectors.
Myanmar
Flooding across Myanmar has impacted an estimated 1 million people in 70 townships in Bago, Kayah, Kayin, Magway, Mandalay, Mon, Nay Pyi Taw, Rakhine, Sagaing, eastern and southern Shan, and Tanintharyi regions/states. 2 Approximately 300,000 children were directly affected, with many schools closed, damaged, or being used as temporary shelters, compounding the challenges for children already bearing the burden of ongoing conflict.3 An estimated 12,974 pregnant women were also affected.4 Homes, household assets and critical infrastructure including health facilities, schools, water and sanitation services, major highways and bridges were significantly damaged. Many families have been forced to evacuate as livelihoods were also destroyed. Communication remains challenging due to the flooded roads and destroyed electric lines. Across all affected areas, critical needs include access to safe drinking water, hygiene items, medicine, food, shelter, and humanitarian cash assistance.
Children in Myanmar face risks of acute water diarrhoea, dengue fever, malaria, cholera and measles. The flooding increased the risk of waterborne diseases, making the restoration of access to clean water, sanitation, and hygiene services critical to prevent outbreaks. Despite ongoing efforts, delivering WASH services is still very challenging. Numerous schools were closed or are being used as temporary shelters, affecting thousands of children’s access to education. Heightened child protection risks include family separation, psychological distress, exposure to explosive ordnance and physical dangers including drowning. Initial assessments indicate that more than 270,000 children and over 180,000 parents and caregivers are in urgent need of child protection services. Inter Cluster Coordination Group (ICCG) joint assessment team conducted the Multi-Sector Initial Rapid Assessment (MIRA) in Yemethin and Meikthila, Tharzi, Pwaybwe, Wuntwin townships in Mandalay region from 5-8 November. The assessment results will be shared with all relevant inter-clusters, donors and partners and the recovery response plan is currently being discussed among cluster members.
Thailand
According to latest reports from the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation (DDPM), 47 provinces, 287 districts, 1,320 sub-districts, 7,035 villages and 268,171 households (including an estimated 128,990 children) were affected by the floods. A total of 77 fatalities were reported. At least 33,925 households, including approximate 16,318 children, are still affected and in need of assistance. DDPM reports that 110 healthcare facilities have been affected. The Government provided 277,931 sets of medicine and medical supplies, while 245,488 individuals received care, including 58,554 who received mental health support.5 In northern Thailand, 555 schools were affected, impacting over 19,000 students and prompting teachers to shift to online learning and personally deliver study materials to students' homes.6 Access to clean water, food, cash assistance and supplies for children including education materials were among the most critical needs. The current situation disrupts women and children’s access to routine healthcare and childcare services, while also heightening risks of gender-based violence, amplifying child protection concerns, and intensifying the need for psychological and mental health support, particularly for the most vulnerable.
In addition to the existing numbers of people still affected from the previous floods, Thailand is now facing new flooding in southern provinces. According to the Department of Disaster Prevention and Mitigation statements, since 22 November 2024, approximately 640,580 households – approximately 1,665,508 people including 308,119 children – in ten provinces were affected by the recent and ongoing floods in Southern Thailand.7 Around 13,000 people were evacuated and sheltered in 200 temporary shelters. The Government has approved 70 million baht (USD$ 2.74 million) emergency budget to response to the situation. The Government also plans an additional cash assistance, debt restructuring and rice subsidy for the affected communities. There is urgent need for access to safe/clean water and hygiene supplies.
Viet Nam
Typhoon Yagi, along with subsequent floods and landslides, affected 3.6 million people across half of Viet Nam’s 63 provinces and cities. 8 Approximately 2.65 million children reside in the most affected 11 provinces. 9 A total of 2,350 schools were damaged, 10 with children in the hardest-hit areas losing 60 to 120 hours of learning.11 In addition, 745 healthcare facilities have been damaged, while increased demand for medical services is straining the capacity of those still operational.12 Two months after the typhoon, 570,000 people continue to face challenges accessing safe drinking water and clean sanitation, heightening the risk of disease outbreaks. Emergency health supplies are needed to support essential medical care and to deliver risk communication messages on health concerns. Disrupted access to clean water, health and other services, combined food shortages, has put approximately 220,00 children under five and 70,000 pregnant and lactating women at risk of malnutrition. Displacement, along with economic and psychological stressors, has increased the needs for psychosocial support and heightened child protection risks - such as neglect, distress, violence, and harmful practices including child labour and child early forced marriage - for more than 100,000 children. An estimated 365,000 families urgently require humanitarian cash assistance due to displacement and the loss of livelihoods. Additionally, critical needs include essential WASH supplies - such as water system, purification tools, and hygiene kits, - for schools, along with teaching and learning materials and the rehabilitation of damaged schools and learning spaces to support education.