UNICEF warns of El Niño threat to 347 million children
More than 347 million children in nearly 100 countries and territories may experience weather anomalies due to the El Niño climate event between October and December 2026, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement.
More than 347 million children in nearly 100 countries and territories may experience weather anomalies due to the El Niño climate event between October and December 2026, the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) said in a statement.
“More than 347 million children in nearly 100 countries and territories may experience abnormally wet or dry weather caused by El Niño; this raises the risk of extreme flooding and droughts with potentially catastrophic consequences,” the report said.
The Asia-Pacific region is home to the largest number of children at risk of abnormal humidity or drought, with about 190 million children. In Eastern and Southern Africa, as well as in Latin America and the Caribbean, about 41 million each.
UNICEF warned that the consequences of El Niño could include water and food shortages, the spread of disease and forced displacement to safer places. In addition, abnormally heavy rainfall can lead to flooding and disrupt schools.
Globally, 1.1 billion children – nearly half of the world’s children – are already exposed to at least three simultaneous climate threats, such as drought, extreme heat or flooding; El Niño is expected to make these shocks even more devastating.
According to the organization, in 2025, climate events caused by El Niño disrupted the learning process of 171 million schoolchildren around the world. Severe droughts and floods this year could lead to school closures, lower enrolment and more children losing access to education.
UNICEF urged governments and humanitarian organizations to prepare in advance for the possible consequences of El Niño.
El Niño is a natural climatic phenomenon in which the temperature of surface waters in the central and eastern parts of the equatorial Pacific Ocean becomes higher than usual. It occurs about once every two to seven years and usually lasts nine to twelve months, affecting the temperature and distribution of precipitation in different regions of the world: in some, the risk of droughts and heat waves increases, in others – heavy rains and floods.
In June 2026, the Australian Meteorological Bureau announced the start of a new El Niño. According to climatologists, it can become one of the strongest in the history of observations. By the end of the year, the water temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean may exceed the norm by more than 3 ° C.
The increased El Niño is linked to the risk of more severe droughts and wildfires in Australia, Indonesia and parts of South Asia. At the same time, parts of South America, the United States and the Horn of Africa may experience increased rainfall and flooding.
