Latin America & The Caribbean Weekly Situation Update as of 13 February 2026

KEY FIGURES

• 270K people forcibly returned to Haiti in 2025
• 72K families affected by heavy rainfall and flooding across Colombia
• 4.7K people affected by severe weather across Ecuador in 2026

HAITI: INSECURITY

Persistent violence and rising instability combined with severe humanitarian funding cuts continue to push vulnerable Haitians deeper into crisis. As armed groups expand control, communities and vulnerable populations, including children, women and forced returnees, are increasingly exposed to violence and protection risks. More than 270,000 people were forcibly returned to Haiti in 2025, often arriving without support or shelter, pushing families back into insecure areas and exacerbating strains on essential services and resources. Armed groups are increasingly relying on the exploitation of children, with UNICEF reporting a threefold increase in child recruitment and the use of children by armed groups in 2025. The International Rescue Committee warn that without immediate international action to protect civilians and increase aid, Haiti faces catastrophic consequences.

MEXICO & CHILE: EARTHQUAKES

A magnitude 5.7 earthquake struck near Puerto Escondido, Oaxaca on 8 February, triggering seismic alerts across Mexico City and several Pacific coastal municipalities and prompting precautionary evacuations. Civil Protection authorities activated emergency protocols, including aerial surveillance over the capital, though no significant damage was reported to date.

In Chile, a magnitude 6.2 earthquake struck 32 km southwest of Ovalle in the Coquimbo region on 12 February, followed by an aftershock several hours later. The US Geological Survey´s Prompt Assessment of Global Earthquakes for Response (PAGER) estimates around 5,000 people experienced strong shaking, while up to 168,000 were exposed to moderate shaking. Tremors were felt widely across Chile and western Argentina, where precautionary evacuations took place, though no casualties or major damage have been reported.

ECUADOR: RAINY SEASON

Ecuador has declared a red alert in the provinces of Esmeraldas, Pichincha and Los Ríos due to intensifying rainfall and rising river levels that increase the risk of overflows, landslides and severe impacts to communities and infrastructure. According to the latest national Situation Report as of 12 February, authorities have recorded 500 rain related adverse events in 2026 across 23 provinces, affecting 4,700 people, including 770 people displaced, 2 deaths and 6 injuries. The weather has damaged at least 1,331 homes, and destroyed 28. The most affected provinces include Esmeraldas, El Oro, Guayas, Zamora Chinchipe, Los Ríos and Pastaza, where recurrent landslides, floods, and intense rains have disrupted mobility, damaged public and private infrastructure, and strained local response capacities. Authorities have activated Emergency Operations Committees and continue damage assessments and distribution of humanitarian assistance.

COLOMBIA: FLOODING

Heavy rainfall and widespread flooding have persisted across western and northern Colombia. As of 11 February, authorities report 44 fatalities, 12,000 homes damaged, 4,000 destroyed, and an estimated 72,000 families affected across Córdoba, Sucre, Cauca, La Guajira, Chocó and Antioquia as rivers, including the Sinú, remain dangerously high. In Córdoba and La Guajira, World Vision Colombia has declared a Category 1 National Response, noting that more than 58,000 families have been affected across at least 17 municipalities. National response efforts are scaling up as well as ongoing evacuations in high-risk municipalities. The European Union Copernicus Emergency Management Service (EMSR865) activated on 11 February to support detailed mapping of affected areas. Humanitarian partners are reinforcing government led efforts as saturated soils and continued rainfall increase the risk of further flooding and landslides in the coming days.