In Syria, fighting continued in Aleppo, Al-Hasakeh, Dar’a, Damascus, Deir-ez-Zor, Hama, Homs, Idleb, Rural Damascus and Quneitra. A large-scale chemical weapons attack in Ghouta killed hundreds of people, according to opposition groups that blamed the Government on 21 August. After some delay, Damascus allowed UN inspectors to visit the site of the alleged chemical attack while denying being behind the assault. Meanwhile, over 1.9 million Syrians have been registered with UNHCR or are awaiting registration in neighboring countries. About 45,000 refugees, believed to be mainly Syrian Kurds, have entered Iraqi Kurdistan since 15 August.
Since mid-August, China has experienced two typhoons, Utor and Trami, in the south of the country and extremely severe flooding in the north with an overall number of killed estimated to be over 200. The authorities reported that the total number of affected by the disasters to be over 10 million people.
Four days of heavy rains, triggered by the passage of the Tropical Storm Trami, and ensuing extensive floods have affected Philippines’ Luzon Island, hitting the National Capital, where metropolitan Manila is located, Cordillera Administrative, Ilocos, Central Luzon, CALABARZON and MIMAROPA regions. Over 600,000 people have reportedly been affected by the floods.
Heavy rains and floods have affected 16 states across Sudan and the Abyei contested area since 1st August. Khartoum is the most severely affected state. Reports from international organisations indicated that an estimated 300,000 people had been affected by the floods while the authorities reported 530,000 people as being affected.
An estimated 8.3 million people in the northeastern states of Adamawa, Borno and Yobe are threatened with limited access to markets and decreased household income due to the on-going insurgency and state of emergency in Nigeria. Meanwhile, it was also reported that some 492,000 children are severely malnourished in the north of the country.
Last Updated: 26/08/2013 Next Update: 02/09/2013