Published on: 2026-10-21
Source: United Nations – United Nations –
An important disclaimer is at the bottom of this article.
October 21, 2026 Climate and Environment
UN agencies on Wednesday called for the immediate expansion of aid to communities already feeling the effects of the strongest El Niño phenomenon on record.
“The current El Niño could be unprecedented in strength—in fact, literally off the charts we’ve used for the past four decades. It will peak by the end of 2026, but its effects will be felt for a long time,” said Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).
According to the latest WMO data, from November 2026 to January 2027, the sea surface temperature in the tropical Pacific Ocean—the epicenter of the climate phenomenon—may exceed the average values by 3.8 degrees Celsius.
Usually, the WMO issues an El Niño warning when the surface temperature of the Pacific Ocean exceeds the norm by only 0.5 degrees. Now, however, the anomaly may reach an unprecedented level – and, as Saulo emphasized, it is impossible to predict what consequences this will lead to.
Beyond the statistics
As emphasized by the WMO, previous El Niño events associated with 3-degree anomalies have led to “significant global consequences.”
“We are already observing extreme weather events and expect that as El Niño strengthens, there will be more of them, causing a chain reaction,” she noted. “But a strong El Niño does not necessarily have to result in a humanitarian catastrophe: we have scientific forecasts and early warning systems that allow saving lives.”
United Nations Deputy Secretary-General for Humanitarian Affairs and Emergency Relief Coordinator Tom Fletcher supported Saulo’s warning. According to him, disaster prevention efforts should help the most vulnerable communities better withstand their consequences. Fletcher called the intensifying El Niño a “destructive force” likely to hit Latin America, Eastern and Southern Africa, Asia, and the Pacific region, resulting in extreme heat, droughts, and floods.
Two weeks to prepare
According to Fletcher, the next two weeks will be crucial to preventing an escalation of the humanitarian crisis related to the climate phenomenon. Somalia, Ethiopia, and Kenya urgently need funding and supplies of essential items, which must be in place before the onset of heavy rains.
In southern Africa, the priority will be the supply of seeds and the preservation of livestock populations, while Central America requires immediate support to protect sources of income.
The countries of Asia and the Pacific region must prepare for a range of climate shocks, including droughts, floods, and cyclones. “It would be an incredible failure to see this crisis approaching, hear experts’ forecasts — and still miss the opportunity to protect the people caught in its path,” Fletcher warned.
He emphasized that due to El Niño, about 50 million people may face increased hunger. Fletcher also cited an estimate from the African Development Bank, according to which the consequences of the phenomenon will cost African countries between 10 and 20 billion dollars and lead to a decrease in their GDP by 1–2 percent.
The head of the UN humanitarian agency allocated more than $50 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund (CERF) to assist 11 countries most at risk, including El Salvador, Somalia, Chad, Ethiopia, and South Sudan.
The long-term consequences of the El Niño phenomenon will be felt “for months, and possibly years,” Fletcher added. He also warned of additional strain on the humanitarian system due to disruptions in global supply chains caused by the war between Iran and the US and Russia’s full-scale invasion of Ukraine.
© UNDP The United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) helped build large-scale barriers to contain mudflows and debris in northern Chile.
How the UN Helps Countries Prepare for El Niño
UN agencies help countries incorporate disaster risk reduction measures into their operations from the very beginning, rather than responding to their consequences after the fact.
In Chile, changes in the nature of precipitation have led to deadly floods in several regions. In the northern Antofagasta region, the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) helped build large barriers to hold back flows of mud and debris.
In Madagascar, under conditions of regularly recurring cyclones, the national housing cluster is developing a strategy that includes a five-year humanitarian action plan. Pilot projects have been implemented since the beginning of 2025 in the Atsimo-Andrefana and Androy regions.
In Nigeria, despite the reduction in aid, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction and the Global Shelter Cluster brought together representatives from the government, humanitarian, and environmental organizations in June 2025 to begin work on a “roadmap” to provide safer housing for populations affected by conflict and climate shocks.
There are over 4 million internally displaced persons in Yemen, many of whom live in flood-prone areas. The UN High Commissioner for Refugees, the UN Office for Disaster Risk Reduction, and their partners supported the creation of protective structures by local communities, including a 2.5-kilometer drainage channel in the Al-Hazm district.
Please note; This information is raw content obtained directly from the information source. It represents an accurate account of what the source claims and does not necessarily reflect the position of MIL-OSI or its clients.