Updateissue 24: 24 August – 6 September 2017

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internal displacement

UpdateIssue 24: 24 August – 6 September 2017

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Feature Context As many as 1.9 million people were displaced between 28 United States of America and 31 August in the coastal areas of Louisiana and Texas as a consequence of Hurricane Harvey that brought strong winds, Affected Louisiana and Texas flooding and caused widespread damage. This included as areas many as 1.76 million people evacuated from their homes in Texas, and as many as 140,000 evacuated in Louisiana (FEMA, Disaster Cause of 30 Aug 2017). About 34,000 people remained in 277 shelters displacement as of 4 September (FEMA, 4 Sept 2017). As of 2 September, Figures As many as 1.9 million new at category 4, Harvey was the strongest hurricane to make disaster displacements between landfall in the US since 2005 (The Atlantic, 2 Sept 2017). 28 and 31 August East China East Asia and Pacific More than 28,000 people were evacuated in Fujian province between 20 August and 2 September due to the effects of Bangladesh Typhoon Hato and Tropical Storm Mawar. Of these, more than 26,000 people were pre-emptively evacuated on 2 September Affected Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, before Mawar made landfall in the south central province of areas Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur, Guangdong on 3 September (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 25 Aug Sylhet divisions 2017; Xinhua, 3 Sept 2017; Xinhua, 2 Sept 2017). Cause of Disaster displacement Southwest China More than 17,000 people were evacuated in the south-west Figures More than 427,000 new disaster provinces of Chongqing, Guizhou, Sichuan and Yunnan of displacements between 12 the Southwest region between 23 August and 6 September August and 4 September following heavy rains that triggered flooding and landslides. Context This included about 8,400 people evacuated in Yunnan province between 23 and 26 August because of Typhoon Hato as well More than more than 427,000 people were displaced by as about 400 people evacuated in Guizhou between 27 and flooding in the divisions of Chittagong, Dhaka, Khulna, 31 August because of Typhoon Pakhar (Xinhua, 26 Aug 2017; Mymensingh, Rajshahi, Rangpur and Sylhet between 12 Ministry of Civil Affairs, 31 Aug 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, August and 3 September. Those displaced were forced to 31 Aug 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, 1 Sept 2017; Ministry of leave their homes as heavy rainfall and subsequent downhill Civil Affairs, 4 Sept 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, 6 Sept 2017). streams led to the inundation of river basin areas in northern areas of Bangladesh (HCTT, 4 Sept 2017; IFRC, 4 Sept 2017; Northwest China The Guardian, 31 Aug 2017). About 46,000 people were As many as 800 people were evacuated in the north-west being housed in 172 shelters as of 3 September (HCTT, 4 Sept provinces of Qinghai and Shaanxi between 30 August and 4 2017). The flooding, described by the IFRC as the worst in 40 September following heavy rains and landslides (ECHO, 31 Aug years, has washed away entire homes, crops, livestock and 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, 31 Aug 2017). other food supplies, leaving communities fearful of starvation (CNN, 1 Sept 2017). Myanmar

China Affected Rakhine state areas Affected Chongqing, Fujian, Guangdong, Cause of Conflict areas Guangxi, Guizhou, Qinghai, Shaanxi, Sichuan, Yunnan displacement provinces Figures As many as 151,000 new conflict displacements between Cause of Disaster 25 August and 6 September displacement Context Figures As many as 138,000 new disaster displacements between More than 151,000 people were forced to flee their homes 20 August and 6 September due to conflict-related violence in Rakhine state between Context 25 August and 6 September, of which 124,000 people had crossed into Bangladesh by 6 September. About 27,000 South Central China people reportedly remained displaced in Rakhine state as More than 92,000 people were evacuated in the south-cen- of 6 September. This number, however, does not include an tral provinces of Guangxi and Guangdong between 20 August unknown number of Rohingya people who, in light of the and 4 September because of heavy rainfall and winds brought magnitude of recent Rohingya arrivals in Bangladesh, are on by Typhoon Hato, Tropical Storm Pakhar and Tropical Storm likely to be displaced within Rakhine. Large-scale cross border Mawar. This included as many as 70,000 people who were movements into Bangladesh come after attacks on govern- evacuated between 3 and 4 September after Tropical Storm ment posts by members of the Arakan Rohingya Salvation Mawar made landfall in Guangdong, more than 14,000 Army triggered a severe military crackdown and the burning people who were evacuated between 27 and 31 August in and destruction of Rohingya villages (ECHO, 5 Sept 2017; IOM, Guangxi and Guangdong because of Tropical Storm Pakhar, 6 Sept 2017; Amnesty International, 7 Sept 2017; Reuters, 6 and about 7,800 people evacuated in Guangxi between 20 Sept 2017). Access to Rakhine state is severely limited, making and 25 August by Typhoon Hato (Ministry of Civil Affairs, 25 verifiable information on the number and needs of the newly Sept 2017; Ministry of Civil Affairs, 31 Aug 2017; Xinhua, 4 displaced difficult to determine OCHA( , 4 Sept 2017). “We are Sept 2017). likely looking at a full-blown humanitarian crisis that warrants a large-scale response. We now need full and unimpeded access to affected communities, including all parts of the northern Rakhine (state),” said NRC Secretary General Jan Egeland on 6 September (NRC, 6 Sept 2017). 2 Nepal South Asia Affected Province 1, 2 and 5 Afghanistan areas Affected Badghis, Faryab, Hilmand, Cause of Disaster areas Kabul, Khost, Kunar, Kunduz, displacement Nangarhar, Paktika, Paktya Figures As many as 461,000 new provinces disaster displacements between Cause of Conflict 12 and 25 August displacement Context Figures About 37,000 new conflict displacements between 21 and As many as 461,000 people were displaced between 12 and 27 August; about 8,600 cross 25 August due to floods and landslides caused by heavy border returns from Iran; and monsoon rains in Province 1, 2 and 5 which affected the about 1,100 cross border returns districts of Rautahat, Saptari, Mahottari, Dhanusha, Bardiya, from Pakistan between 20 and Banke. Sunsari and Morang (OCHA, 21 Aug 2017; Government 26 August of Nepal, 28 Aug 2017). The heaviest destruction occurred in the Rautahat and Saptari districts in Province 1 where more Context than 266,000 people were displaced during the period (OCHA, 21 Aug 2017). While the majority of people had returned About 37,000 people were displaced by conflict and insecurity to their communities as of 1 September, many were unable within Afghanistan between 21 and 27 August. The largest to return to their homes and so sought refuge with neigh- displacement flows occurred within Faryab province where bours or in make-shift shelters (OCHA, 1 Sept 2017). This more than 20,000 people were forced to flee during the year’s monsoon season has caused devastating destruction period, as well as Badghis province where as many as 12,000 to housing, infrastructure and farmlands, affecting as many people fled violence, mostly towards areas under the control as 1.7 million people as of 4 September (OCHA, 4 Sept 2017). of non-state armed groups. Fighting, insecurity and intimida- tion from non-state armed groups forced smaller numbers to flee in other provinces between 21 and 27 August, including Middle East and North Africa about 2,800 people from Paktya to Khost, 350 people within Paktika, 910 people within Hilmand, 440 people from Kunar Iraq and Kunduz to Kabul, and about 690 people within and from Nangarhar and Kunar (OCHA, 27 Aug 2017). Affected Country-wide Amid new internal displacements, over 1,100 Afghans areas returned from Pakistan, and more than 8,600 Afghans returned from Iran between 20 and 26 August (IOM, 26 Aug Conflict Cause of 2017). displacement Figures More than 700,000 returns; and about 5,500 cross border returns Sub-Saharan Africa from Turkey and Syria between January and 29 August 2017 Central African Republic Context Affected Basse Kotto, Haut Kotto, More than 700,000 IDPs returned to their communities of areas Nana Mambere, Ombella- origin between January and 29 August 2017, with the highest M’Poko, Ouaka, Ouham pende numbers returning to Anbar and Ninewa governorates. An prefectures additional 5,000 Iraqi refugees returned from Turkey in the Cause of Conflict, Disaster same time period, mostly to Mosul. Returns from Turkey have displacement been occurring both spontaneously and under the purview As many as 13,000 new conflict of return programmess organised by Iraqi authorities. An Figures displacements between 20 additional 500 Iraqis returned from Syria between January August and 1 September; about and late August, mostly Yazidis going back to the town of 100 secondary displacements Sinjar in Ninewa governorate. Despite increasing returns, the between 1 and 3 September; security situation remains volatile and returnees face risks due about 2,700 new disaster not only to ongoing insecurity and the presence of armed displacements between 15 groups, but also due to the widespread destruction of critical August and 28 August infrastructure (UNHCR, 29 Aug 2017). Context As many as 13,000 people were displaced by clashes or threats of violence or reprisals in the Central African Republic between 20 August and 3 September in four major displacement flows. The first, and largest, involved about 6,800 people who fled 3 confrontations between armed groups in Kongbo in Basse had returned by 25 August, about 3,600 people remained Kotto prefecture from 24 August to 3 September and sought in forest encampments overnight as of 28 August for fear of refuge in a Catholic church positioned close to the UN base violence (OCHA, 28 Aug 2017). Finally, about 5,500 people (MINUSCA) (OCHA, 28 Aug 2017; OCHA, 3 Sept 2017; OCHA, were displaced in Fizi territory between 1 and 28 August 5 Sept 2017). The second, about 2,400 people fled confron- due to the threat of violence following the advancement of tations between armed groups around Bria, the capital of rebel groups (OCHA, 28 Aug 2017). Pendular movements are Haut Kotto, from 20 to 25 August and sheltered with host common in the province of South Kivu, where the rise and fall families or in an IDP settlement set up in a church (OCHA, 28 of hostilities force people back and forth from hiding places Aug 2017; OCHA, 3 Sept 2017; OCHA, 5 Sept 2017). The third in the bush. involved about 1,500 people displaced from the villages of Kelle-Claire and Borodoul in Ouham Pende between 1 and 3 September due to rumours of planned attacks by the armed Sudan group ‘3R’. This included about 100 IDPs secondarily displaced after having arrived in the prefecture at an earlier time from Affected Gezira, North Dafur, South Dafur Niem-Yelewa, Nana-Mambere Prefecture (OCHA, 3 Sept 2017). areas and Sennar states The fourth involved about 2,000 people, mainly women and Disaster children, who fled the surroundings of Koui in Ouham-Pende Cause of displacement and the city of Niem in Nana-Mambere between 21 and 25 August, fearing reprisals by armed groups (OCHA, 28 Aug Figures About 1,000 new disaster 2017; OCHA, 3 Sept 2017). displacements; and 2,400 About 2,700 people were displaced between 15 August secondary displacements and 28 August due to heavy rain and flooding that caused between 20 August and 1 housing damage in Bégoua commune, Ombella-M’Poko September prefecture, and in Kouango, Ouaka prefecture (IFRC, 28 Aug Context 2017, on file with IDMC; OCHA, 20 Aug 2017). As many as 2,400 people were secondarily displaced between 20 and 24 August after flooding washed away or partially Democratic Republic of the Congo destroyed housing in Zamzam IDP camp in North Darfur and Otash IDP camp in South Darfur (OCHA, 27 Aug 2017; Radio Affected Kasaï, Kwango, Kwilu, South Dabanga, 23 Aug 2017). About 560 people were displaced areas Kivu within the locality of Um El Gura, Gezira state between 24 and 25 August after floods in the area destroyed more than Conflict Cause of 100 houses. Those that lost their homes took shelter in a local displacement school (Radio Dabanga, 29 Aug 2017). A further 440 people Figures More than 49,000 new conflict (80 households) were displaced between 1 and 4 September displacements between 1 and by riverine floods in Singa, Sennar state Radio( Dabanga, 4 28 August; about 5,500 cross- Sept 2017). border returns from Angola between 12 and 21 August Context Uganda

More than 28,000 people fled the province of Kasaï to Affected Northern and Eastern regions neighbouring provinces between 12 and 25 August because areas of ongoing violence and insecurity. Of these, as many as Disaster 26,000 of people fled towards Kwilu province and about Cause of displacement 2,000 towards Kwango. In addition, about 5,500 Congolese returnees were identified in villages in Kasai province between Figures More than 2,200 new disaster 12 and 21 August having returned from neighbouring Angola displacements between 22 and (OCHA, 25 Aug 2017). Violence has surged over the past 27 August several months in the greater region of Kasaï (Grand Kasaï), Context leaving civilians with no choice but to flee clashes between local militia groups and military and police forces associated with the government (OCHA, 25 Aug 2017). More than 2,000 people were displaced after heavy rains More than 21,000 people were displaced by conflict and between 22 and 24 August caused the Unyama stream to hostilities in the province of South Kivu between 12 and 28 burst its bank, destroying homes around Elegu border market August in three major displacement flows. The first included in Amuru district, Northern Uganda (New Vision, 24 Aug more than 2,600 people who fled inter-ethnic hostilities in 2017). About 200 people were displaced from three villages Uvira territory between 12 and 24 August (OCHA, 24 Aug hit by landslides in Bududa district, Eastern Uganda, between 2017). The second involved more than 13,000 people who 23 and 29 August (East African, 29 Aug 2017). left their villages in Shabunda territory and fled into the forest between 18 and 24 August after the arrival of government forces in the area to counter rebels from the Force Populaires pour la Paix group (OCHA, 24 Aug 2017). While many IDPs 4 North America Canada

Affected British Columbia, Manitoba, areas Saskatchewan Cause of Disaster displacement Figures About 7,800 new disaster displacements between 24 August and 5 September Context

More than 1,100 people were forced out of their homes between 24 and 27 August due to wildfires in British Columbia. About 600 people had returned home by 27 August (CBC News, 27 Aug 2017). As many as 2,500 people were evacuated from their homes between 29 August and 5 September due to wildfires in northern Saskatchewan (CTV News, 5 Sept 2017). About 4,200 people from Wasagamack, Garden Hill and Saint-Theresa Point First Nations in Manitoba were evacuated from their homes between 29 August and 5 September, seeking refuge in Winnipeg and Brandon from wildfires that spread into dense woodlands (CBC News, 5 Sept 2017).

Disclaimer The terminology, names and designations used in this update and the material in links do not imply any opinion on the part of IDMC. Displacement figures reported here are indicative only and have been rounded to the nearest 10 (if the total is less than 999), 100 (if the total is less than 10,000) or 1,000 (if the figure is 10,000 or larger). The IDU gives priority to displacement flows that occurred or were reported in stated period. However, due to reliance on third party sources, certain entries may include information that refers to an earlier reporting period. For IDMC-validated and peer-re- viewed figures, read our Global Report on Internal Displacement.

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