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Past emergencies

Oxfam Australia has decades of experience responding to emergencies around the world. You can help us respond to emergencies when they happen, by becoming an Emergency 365 regular donor.

Here’s a snapshot of some of our emergency work:

Pakistan floods emergency

In August 2022, the Government of Pakistan declared a ‘national emergency’ as torrential monsoon rains inundated the country. The flooding killed at least 1,700 people and destroyed millions of homes. Working alongside local partners, over 37,000 people have been reached with life saving aid.

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Coronavirus emergency

In 2020, as COVID-19 reached the most vulnerable communities across the globe, the devastation left behind could be catastrophic. Together, we have what it takes to create a different future.

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Cyclone Idai

In March 2019, Cyclone Idai hit southern Africa, devastating the lives of 2.6 million people. Entire villages were destroyed, including homes, livestock and valuable crops. Oxfam provided life-saving assistance to people who had lost everything in Malawi, Zimbabwe and Mozambique.

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Bangladesh Rohingya refugee crisis

Since August 2017, more than 727,000 Rohingya people have fled violence in Myanmar to seek refuge across the border in Bangladesh. So far, we have reached at least 266,000 people.

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Indonesia tsunami

In December 2018, a huge 7.4 magnitude earthquake and tsunami hit Sulawesi, Indonesia. Over the following months, Oxfam reached more than 100,000 people with clean water, hygiene kits and vital income support so communities could start to rebuild.

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Syria crisis

Since the conflict began in March 2011, more than 400,000 lives have been lost in Syria. Oxfam has been working in Aleppo providing water purification units, water tanks in schools, equipping wells and connecting them to water networks and water collection points.

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Cyclone Winston

Cyclone Winston was the largest cyclone to hit Fiji in 2016. The destruction left 250,000 people in urgent need of clean water. Many families were dependent on dirty and unprotected water sources. Oxfam worked with local partners to deliver clean water and to stop the threat of disease.

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El Niño Food Crisis

In late 2015 and through 2016, 60 million people around the world faced hunger and poverty due to droughts, erratic rains and the onset of a powerful El Niño — the climate phenomenon that develops in the tropical Pacific and brings extreme weather to several regions of the world.

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Cyclone Pam

Cyclone Pam, one of the worst cyclones ever seen in the Pacific region hit Vanuatu on 13 March 2015 causing widespread devastation. Oxfam teams responded immediately with life saving essentials such as clean water, shelter and hygiene kits. Oxfam teams worked with the affected communities providing emergency relief and helping families to rebuild after losing everything.

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Typhoon Haiyan

In 2013, more than 6,300 people lost their lives and almost 4.1 million people were forced from their homes after Typhoon Haiyan devastated the coastal communities of The Philippines. Oxfam has reached more than 740,000 people with emergency relief.

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