Crisis watch

Southern Syria

Civilians displaced by intense fighting in southern Syria are in desperate need of shelter, clean water and sanitation. CARE Syria’s Country Director, Wouter Schaap, said:

We are witnessing whole cities and towns emptying due to intense fighting in the south. Having escaped the violence, many are sleeping out in the open, in the desert heat, without access to water, food, toilets, or any of the most basic necessities.

CARE has reached some 50,000 vulnerable people in southern Syria, through the distribution of shelter and hygiene packages, as well as supplies for babies and the elderly. CARE is also delivering water and installing emergency latrines in areas of displacement and providing psychosocial support to people in need.

Yemen

Airstrikes continue to hit the port city of Hodeidah risking civilian casualties and causing further displacements as people flee their homes. So far over 17,350 households (over 121,000 people) have been displaced in the area since 1 June. CARE staff have relocated to our office in Hajja (about 100km from Hodeidah) and are helping to plan for providing humanitarian assistance to internally displaced people in the region.

Sudan

Drought caused by low rainfall during the last rainy season (June-Oct last year) means the 'lean season' began earlier than usual this year in Sudan. Severe scarcity of water supply and insufficient access to food has led to a high level of malnutrition in some areas, particularly among children under five and pregnant and lactating women. 

CARE is planning to provide immediate nutrition support to 18,761 people in Kassala State, and to reach 85,000 drought-affected people in Kassala through longer-term nutrition, WASH (water, sanitation, hygiene), food security and livelihoods support.

Southern Syria

Up to 160,000 people in southern Syria are now displaced from their homes following recent hostilities. Iman, an aid worker with a Syrian organisation supported by CARE, told us:

Heavy fighting and the shelling of populated areas have led to large waves of displacement. Most of those displaced are women, children and the elderly, who now live in overcrowded shelters. These shelters lack the most basic necessities. Clean water is very scarce. People are in desperate need of shelter and water.

• Read more in our press release

Bangladesh

Monsoon rains hitting the refugee settlements in Cox’s Bazar have led to severe waterlogging and damage to shelters and infrastructure from mudslides and soil erosion. Michele Bornstein from CARE Bangladesh said:

Those at greatest risk or with severely damaged shelters have been relocated. Presently the greatest needs are sandbags, tarps, and bamboo.

CARE teams are working with local partners and residents to repair damage to shelters and to water points, and to clear drains to reduce waterlogging.

• Read how CARE is supporting women and girls in the refugee camps in this Guardian article 'Our men are leaving us': the Rohingya women facing life alone