Smaller disasters are frequent, little-known, and devastating. And they are occurring more often due to climate change. They may not be newsworthy but these "small" disasters are big enough to overwhelm a country's response capacity.
When that happens, the Humanitarian Coalition is there. Around the clock. Around the world.
Our response to smaller disasters is co-funded by Global Affairs Canada through the Canadian Humanitarian Assistance Fund.
Millions of people are impacted by disasters every year
Here are some of their stories:
By Bren Melles, Manager, Humanitarian Programs
When a powerful earthquake hit Myanmar on March 28, 2025, everything changed in an instant.
The walls shook. Homes were destroyed and schools collapsed. Families slept outside on sidewalks in intense heat for days, afraid to return indoors. Communities already living through hardship suddenly faced even more loss. The earthquake, the most powerful to hit Myanmar in almost a century, impacted more than 300,000 people, killed more than 3,600 and injured thousands.
Get Involved
Support families and communities who are devastated by disasters, around the clock and around the world. There are three ways to get involved: