In Herat province, Afghanistan, communities were already preparing for a harsh winter when back-to-back earthquakes devastated the area. The quakes —each around 6.3 magnitude— hit on October 7, 10 and 15, and were each followed by several aftershocks. The series of quakes levelled villages, buried families and left entire communities homeless. According to OCHA, nearly …
Responding in Libya and Morocco Our teams are on the ground providing medical relief to survivors of the Libya floods and Morocco earthquake, as well as to communities around the world affected by extreme weather and other disasters. In Libya, where more than 40,000 flood survivors have been displaced from their homes, we have three …
Revisiting Flood Survivors in Pakistan In response to last year’s floods in Pakistan, we provided delivery kits to pregnant women to ensure a safe and successful childbirth. We also monitored the health of expectant mothers through regular visits, providing vital medicine and offering counseling. Sapa and Jonjhi Bai are just two of the women who …
In the early hours of February 6, people in Türkiye and Syria were jolted awake by a massive 7.8-magnitude earthquake, followed hours later by a second devastating 7.5-magnitude quake. Eventually, the two quakes and thousands of aftershocks killed more than 50,000 people, and displaced nearly 6 million. International Medical Corps responded immediately in both countries, …
Nine-year-old Aliyah* started to wet her bed after the Israeli-Palestinian conflict escalated in May 2021. The airstrikes and bombardment that followed left her so fearful that she was afraid to even step outside her home, especially at night. Sleeping became a source of anxiety for her, and her academic performance deteriorated. “I have nightmares about …
Imagine that fighting has broken out between rival groups in your town, and it’s so dangerous that you can risk your life just by going to the grocery store or to your job. How would you feel to come home from work and find your home damaged and your neighbours killed by bombs dropped on …
On April 15, clashes between the Sudanese Armed Forces and the Rapid Support Forces erupted in Khartoum, the capital of Sudan. Due to the conflict, large segments of the population have been completely cut off from essential services, hundreds have been killed nationwide and thousands have been injured. Sudan has long been plagued by tribal …
When the Zeruk district of Paktika province was hit by an earthquake last year, International Medical Corps staff were among the first responders. And the work has continued, with health teams from eastern Afghanistan travelling rural roads in pick-up trucks to conduct assessments and share best practices with the staff members of a new International …
Hailu Bekele looked out of the helicopter window, taking in vast fields dry from drought, pale-green treetops and cattle scattered across the landscape in Kurwai, South Sudan, and thinking about his new assignment, more than a thousand miles from home. Though Bekele usually works as a Health Programme Coordinator with International Medical Corps in Ethiopia, …
Prioritising Staff Well-Being Providing humanitarian assistance in disaster and crisis situations can take a toll on the physical and mental health of frontline first responders. Because many of our staff are local to the communities they serve, they often can be directly affected by a crisis at the same time they’re working to provide lifesaving …