Strongest El Nino threatens worldwide hunger and disease, warn experts

This year’s El Niño weather phenomenon is the strongest on record and is going to increase the risk of drought and hunger across the world, according to scientists and aid agencies. El Niño is expected to aggravate drought conditions and food shortages in African countries in February while and increase flooding in the Caribbean, Central and South America. This weather event involves the shift of warm water in the Pacific ocean and has helped make 2015 the world’s warmest year on record. Dr Nick Klingaman from the University of Reading told the BBC: “By some measures this has already been the strongest El Niño on record.”

If we fail to act now against this especially powerful El Niño , we will fail vulnerable people across our world.

UK International Development Minister Nick Hurd

Dr Klingaman added: “Indonesia has experienced a bad drought; the Indian monsoon was about 15% below normal; and the forecasts for Brazil and Australia are for reduced monsoons.” Some 31 million people across Africa are believed to be facing food insecurity, a sizeable increase from last year. El Niño occurs every two to seven years with its effects lasting up to 12 months. "The role of El Nino on much of what we are seeing around the planet is obvious,“ said Herve Le Treut, a climate scientist and director of the Pierre-Simon Laplace Institute.

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