Devastating extreme weather events and natural disasters are exacerbating the plight of refugee and displaced communities worldwide, forcing many to move repeatedly and start over from nothing. This is what UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, has observed with catastrophic floods, earthquakes, cyclones, storms, and heatwaves impacting displacement settings in Africa, the Americas, Asia, and beyond.

In Brazil, recent floods in the southern state of Rio Grande do Sul claimed at least 170 lives, displaced over 630,000 people, and affected 2.39 million individuals, including 43,000 refugees from Venezuela, Haiti, and Cuba. Refugees recounted harrowing experiences of evading death, losing their homes, and seeking refuge on rooftops. With the floodwaters receding, many displaced persons are now in emergency shelters or sharing crowded homes, while health risks increase as winter approaches.

UNHCR is collaborating with Brazilian authorities to provide emergency shelter, identify vulnerable individuals, and offer counselling, documentation, and social protection assistance. Relief items such as mattresses and kitchen sets are being distributed, and psychosocial support is available. However, the needs remain immense and are expected to grow.

Elsewhere, recent climate disasters have also severely impacted regions in Afghanistan, Bangladesh, and East Africa. In East Africa and the Great Lakes region, hundreds of thousands of refugees and internally displaced people are still grappling with the aftermath of devastating floods from April and May. In countries like Burundi, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, and Somalia, many refugees' homes and critical infrastructure were destroyed, forcing them to relocate once again.

UNHCR is also concerned about the high risk of flooding in Sudan and South Sudan due to heavy seasonal rains. In Chad, which hosts 600,000 Sudanese refugees, heavy rains are damaging precarious shelters and infrastructure.

To address these challenges, UNHCR is launching an appeal for nearly $40 million to assist 5.6 million refugees, returnees, internally displaced people, and local communities in Burundi, Ethiopia, Somalia, Rwanda, South Sudan, and Sudan. This funding will support emergency relief, including shelter, cash assistance, water and sanitation services, and infrastructure rehabilitation.

UNHCR continues to advocate for the inclusion of refugees in social protection schemes, contingency plans, risk mitigation, reconstruction, and adaptation efforts. The agency stresses the need for global action to ensure the most vulnerable are not left behind, highlighting the urgent need for support and investments to help these populations build resilience and withstand future shocks.

The increasing frequency, intensity, and magnitude of climate disasters are a dire warning that the world must heed. While the climate crisis affects everyone, it is the most vulnerable, who have contributed the least to climate change, who bear the greatest burden. Immediate and decisive action is crucial to protect and support these communities.