Latest OCHA News & Updates

United Nations, Jan 7 (IANS) A snowstorm on December 31 in northern Syria hit 90 sites for the displaced, affecting more than 150,000 people, destroying or damaging 5,000 shelters, UN humanitarians said.The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said its partners in the governorates of Aleppo, Idlib and Al-Hasakah reported the storm claimed the lives of two infants due to extreme cold.Thousands of people were exposed to freezing temperatures at risk of hypothermia and resp…

Kabul, Jan 1 (IANS) At least 12 people were killed and 11 others injured after heavy rainfall and snowfall triggered severe flash floods across multiple provinces in Afghanistan over the past three days, a spokesman for the National Disaster Management Authority said on Thursday. Hafiz Mohammad Yusuf Hammad, spokesman for the authority, said the disaster struck Kapisa, Parwan, Daykundi, Uruzgan, Kandahar, Helmand, Badghis, Faryab, Badakhshan, Herat and Farah provinces.The mishap also caused exte…

United Nations, Dec 31 (IANS) The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) on Tuesday launched a $1.71 billion humanitarian needs and response plan for Afghanistan in 2026, which is expected to remain one of the world’s largest humanitarian crises next year.In 2026, an estimated 21.9 million people will require humanitarian assistance, a 4 per cent decrease from 2025, and 17.4 million people are projected to face acute food insecurity, including 4.7 million in IPC Phase 4 (E…

Mogadishu, Dec 22 (IANS) The drought emergency in Somalia has significantly deepened, with authorities estimating that 4.61 million people have been affected by prolonged dry conditions across the country, the United Nations (UN) relief agency said Monday. The UN Office for the Coordination of Humanitarian Affairs (OCHA) said the drought emergency follows the poor performance of the two main rainy seasons and is compounded by funding shortfalls for assistance, further worsening Somalia’s already…