Super El Niño effect could kill 450,000 people in six months

Developing in the Pacific climate phenomenon El Niño from September 2026 to February 2027 will lead to the death of 451 thousand people worldwide. This conclusion was made in their report by scientists from the research group Climate Impact Lab.

Scientists note that in September, the oceanic index of Niño (ONI) was +3.04 ° C, which exceeds the highest value since 1982. For this, it was called “Super El Niño”, or “Godzilla-level El Niño”. The authors of the study emphasize that El Niño itself is a natural phenomenon, but now it is superimposed on the elevated temperature of the planet, heated by the burning of fossil fuels.

In addition to heat, it will bring catastrophic droughts, forest fires, floods. It is reported that in the next six months, the Super El Niño will hit the hardest in Nigeria, where the number of excess deaths (a temporary increase in mortality compared to expected) will reach 31.4 thousand, Indonesia (19.3 thousand), Sudan (17.6 thousand), India (15.8 thousand) and Brazil (13.3 thousand). In the United States, the number of excess deaths can reach 3,5 thousand, in Egypt – 1.5 thousand, in Italy – 780. Scientists have warned that a super-El Niño could threaten 50 million people with hunger. The authors of the report urge governments to quickly deploy cooling centers, adjust the work of medical services and pay special attention to people at risk.

Alena Miklashevskaya