What we’re watching: Weekly disaster update, August 24, 2026

Some disasters make headlines; others do not. Here at the Center for Disaster Philanthropy (CDP), we monitor the status of disasters worldwide and compile a list of the ones we’re tracking weekly.  

Here’s what we’re watching for the week of Aug. 24, 2026.  

New or Emerging Disasters 

Wildfires – Nevada: At least 90,000 people were urged to evacuate northwest Reno from the Hawk Fire, which has been burning out of control since Aug. 22 and has consumed more than 15,000 acres. Officials do not yet know how many buildings have been damaged. About 400,000 acres have burned in Nevada so far this year.  

Typhoon Narra – Vietnam, China: Typhoon Narra brought torrential downpours to northern Vietnam and southern China this week, killing one person and displacing 54,000. At least 25,000 acres of rice and other crops were destroyed.   

While officials report that the typhoon will not make landfall, the storm has been stalled near land for several days, causing widespread destruction. 

Previous/Ongoing Disasters 

Earthquake – Indonesia: More than 40,000 people remain sheltered in tents after a 7.7-magnitude earthquake struck the island of Flores on Aug. 15. At least 1,600 people were injured, 100 people died and about 73,000 buildings were damaged. Aid has reached the island after an initial lag, but recovery will be extensive.   

Derecho – Indiana: On Aug. 6, a long line of powerful storms stretching from the Northern Plains to the Ohio Valley produced heavy rain, flooding and tornadoes as it moved east. Wind speeds reached nearly 100 mph in Gary, Indiana, killing seven people. Nearly two weeks later, power has yet to be restored for thousands of families in northwest Indiana.   

Streetlights are out, causing safety concerns; families are staying in shelters or cooling off in community centers; businesses are losing revenue; and schools remain closed. Residents who rely on insulin have had to travel to Illinois for ice to refrigerate their medicine.  

Complex Humanitarian Emergencies – Horn of Africa (Kenya) 

Many places worldwide are experiencing conflict, climate change, drought, famine, economic challenges and other conditions which, when combined, create complex humanitarian emergencies (CHEs). CDP spotlights one CHE each week to spread awareness and develop a philanthropic response.   

Since 2022, government crackdowns on protests in Kenya have resulted in hundreds of fatalities, abductions and arbitrary arrests. Political violence has risen sharply in 2026, compounding a humanitarian crisis driven by drought, floods, hunger and protection concerns.  

Key facts:

• Drought-affected families are walking an average of four miles a day to access water. 
• Flash floods beginning in March 2026 affected 30 counties nationwide, killing at least
• 88 people and displacing more than 70,000 people, submerging homes, markets and infrastructure.
• As of early 2026, an estimated 3.3 million people face acute food insecurity, while 400,000 people require immediate life-saving assistance, a 52% increase from early 2025.
• Kenya’s pledge to end gender-based violence (GBV) by 2026 has failed, with shelters collapsing under budget cuts and femicide rates rising 10% since 2022.
• Digital violence is intensifying, disproportionately affecting women in universities and public life. 
• UNHCR notes that the GBV response in refugee camps requires coordinated medical, psychosocial and security support; however, these settlements are simultaneously in IPC Phase 4 (Emergency) for food insecurity, compounding the vulnerability of women and girls (UNHCR Kenya). 

Kenya’s 2026 humanitarian response plan prioritizes life-saving food, shelter, WASH and protection support for the most vulnerable in arid counties and refugee camps but is operating against severe funding shortfalls. 

What We’re Reading

• El Niño Is Back. And Worse Than Ever. – The Daily, Podcast
• In Ukraine, a brewing mental health crisis – The Boston Globe
• The United States’ human rights practices are taking a nosedive – The Conversation 

A moment of hope…On June 30, 2026, Kenya’s Cabinet approved a set of reforms to combat gender-based violence (GBV) and strengthen child protection. These actions include the Kenya Children Policy 2025, the Protection Against Domestic Violence (Amendment) Bill 2026, and the adoption of the Presidential Technical Working Group on GBV and Femicide. The move responds to findings that about 34% of women and girls have experienced physical violence from age 15, while 13% have experienced sexual violence during their lifetime.  

Officials, including the National Gender and Equality Commission, called the reforms a milestone but stressed that real reform depends on implementation, including strengthening prevention, improving survivor-centered services, enhancing institutional accountability and fostering better coordination among agencies responsible for responding to violence.