Governments brace for historic El Nino impacts on global weather extremes

What the report says

Governments are responding to a rapidly strengthening El Nino that is expected to intensify drought, flooding, extreme heat and wildfire risks across several regions later this year, according to Al Jazeera. The article says the weather pattern could become one of the strongest on record, with impacts already being felt in parts of Asia and the Americas.

In Sri Lanka, officials have set aside 4.8 billion rupees, or about $14 million, to distribute water to nearly 72,000 people in seven districts affected by drought. Families in the hardest-hit areas are expected to receive about 75 litres of water every two to three days for drinking and sanitation. Water levels in many small reservoirs have fallen sharply, and the environment minister said the government expects to keep adjusting its response as conditions change.

Al Jazeera also reported that Indonesia has seen widespread wildfires this year, with more than 200,000 hectares burned since January. Smoke has affected air quality in parts of Central Kalimantan, and officials are preparing cloud-seeding operations if conditions allow. In Honduras, authorities have placed most of the country, including the capital, on drought alert, while the United States plans to send a military hospital to Peru next year to help with El Nino-related effects.

The broader concern is that El Nino can disrupt rainfall and temperature patterns across the globe, making food security, public health and emergency planning more difficult in already vulnerable countries.