Crisis watch

Yemen

Jolien Veldwijk, CARE’s acting Country Director in Yemen, says: “The situation for the people in Hodeidah is very scary. People in the city tell us that they see snipers on the top of the houses. There are intensive airstrikes, shelling and heavy clashes.”

The people of Hodeidah are very vulnerable already and if the city will be attacked, many will not be able to survive. They don’t have enough money to pay for their most basic needs. They tell us that they are expecting a catastrophe to happen.

Read more in our press release Attack on Hodeidah multiplies horror and death in Yemen

South Sudan

Pibor County in South Sudan is experiencing acute food shortages with almost 80 percent of the population in urgent need of food assistance. CARE South Sudan will be providing cash transfers to more than 3,600 people in Lekuangole during the peak lean season of July and August.

Syria

According to the UN, more than 920,000 people were displaced inside Syria during the first four months of 2018 - the highest rate of internal displacement in the seven-year conflict. Wouter Schaap, CARE’s Syria country director, said:

This new figure is shocking, and shows that the war in Syria is far from being over. People are still fleeing bombings and shelling in bigger numbers than ever, and seeking protection and assistance far from home.

CARE is calling on parties to the conflict to protect civilians, guarantee their freedom of movement, and facilitate their access to life saving aid.

Guatemala

CARE has deployed teams to assess people's needs, initially in Escuintla and Sacatepéquez, where humanitarian assistance is most needed. We are currently providing psychosocial support for affected families, particularly children in shelters. CARE's Amilcar Miron said:

Some communities have been buried under the lava and ash, and many have lost everything, including loved ones. Our psychosocial activities help them cope with their losses and reclaim some level of stability in a desperately chaotic situation.

CARE works with avocado and coffee farmers in the affected areas and we will be monitoring the impact of the disaster on agricultural livelihoods to identify recovery and rehabilitation needs after the emergency phase. CARE is also a member of the Humanitarian Gender Working Group which has designed a shelter management tool which incorporates gender and protection considerations.

Guatemala

Around 1.7 million have been affected by the eruption of Guatemala’s Fuego volcano, with thousands having to flee their homes and communities. The government is responding but will require assistance to meet needs including shelter, medical care, food, water and clothing. CARE is coordinating with authorities to assist in the response as needed. Ada Zambrano, CARE’s country director in Guatemala, said:

We have worked in the affected communities for a long time and have developed longstanding relationships with the people there. Our priority is to ensure that families are safe and accounted for, even as we determine how best to help survivors get back on their feet for the long term.