Heavy rains beginning on April 20 caused floods and associated landslides and rockslides in the three-island territory of the Union of the Comoros, affecting 57,000 people as of mid- May. USAID is responding to humanitarian needs through the U.N. Children’s Fund (UNICEF). For more information, click here.
USAID Responds to the Complex Emergency in Mauritania
Fighting in northern Mali has resulted in large-scale displacement within the country and to neighboring countries. As of May 10, nearly 64,000 Malian refugees resided in food-insecure areas of Mauritania, straining local resources. In response, USAID is supporting the distribution of emergency relief supplies to Mauritanian host communities. For more information, click here.
USAID Responds to Floods in Paraguay
Heavy rains and resultant flooding have killed seven people and affected approximately 80,000 others in the Chaco Region, Paraguay, since early April. USAID is supporting the purchase, transport, and distribution of relief supplies, as well as the provision of shelter assistance, to affected communities. For more information, click here.
USAID Responds to Floods in Fiji
Since late March, heavy rainfall has caused flooding in Fiji, resulting in two deaths and displacing approximately 11,000 people. USAID is responding to humanitarian needs through the Fiji Red Cross Society. For more information, click here.
USAID Responds to the Complex Emergency in Mali
Fighting in northern Mali has resulted in large-scale displacement within the country. In response, USAID is supporting the distribution of emergency relief supplies to internally displaced persons and Malian host communities. For more information, click here.
USAID Responds to Food Insecurity in the Sahel
Below-average rainfall and crop production shortages in 2011 have resulted in reduced food and livestock fodder availability in parts of Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Chad, and elsewhere in the Sahel region of West Africa, where many vulnerable families are still recovering from the 2009–2010 food crisis. USAID staff in Washington, D.C., and in the region are closely monitoring the situation across the Sahel in conjunction with U.S. embassies and relief agency partners. For more information, please visit the Burkina Faso, Chad, Mali, Mauritania, Niger, Senegal, and The Gambia pages.
Disaster Assistance Across the Globe
Our Mandate
The Office of U.S. Foreign Disaster Assistance (OFDA) is the office within USAID responsible for facilitating and coordinating U.S.
Government emergency assistance overseas. As part of USAID’s Bureau for Democracy, Conflict, and Humanitarian Assistance (DCHA), OFDA provides humanitarian assistance to save lives,
alleviate human suffering, and reduce the social and economic impact of humanitarian emergencies worldwide.
Our Work
OFDA responds to all types of natural disasters, including earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, cyclones, floods, droughts, fires, pest infestations, and disease outbreaks. OFDA also provides assistance when lives or livelihoods are threatened by catastrophes such as civil conflict, acts of terrorism, or industrial accidents. In addition to emergency assistance, OFDA funds mitigation activities to reduce the
impact of recurrent natural hazards and provides training to build local capacity for disaster management and response.
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