Humanitarian Bulletin Latin America and Caribbean Volume 28 | July – August 2016

HIGHLIGHTS

• 8.2 million people affected by disasters in Latin America and the Caribbean from January to August 2016.

• In the Northern Triangle of Central America (NTCA), ongoing and widespread violence perpetrated by criminal groups or gangs is one of the main causes that people seek protection.

• Since late 2015, the drought in Bolivia has continued through the dry season (May to October) and spread to the east and south of the country, affecting more than 740,000 people.

8.2 million people affected by disasters in 2016

Forecasts of a strong La Niña decreased from 75% to 60% for the end of the year, which implies a moderate increase in flooding and climate-related disasters. The drought has intensified in Bolivia as well as economic losses. An estimated 133,000 families have been affected by drought in Bolivia, while those affected by drought in Central America continue to receive assistance, hoping for the first harvest of the year to improve food security conditions.

The number of people affected by the earthquake in Ecuador on 16 April is more than 383,000.
OCHA has published a Humanitarian Bulletin relating to Ecuador five months after the disaster.
By end August 2016, the hurricane season has generated six storms in the Atlantic, two of which reached hurricane force, while in the North Pacific 14 storms formed, eight of which became hurricanes. Mexico is the most affected country, with three hurricanes making landfall.
Experts predict that hurricane activity will intensify towards the end of the season.