El Niño and Drought
Scientists have identified a strong link between El Niño events and global droughts. These effects are most pronounced along the Equator and in tropical regions with elevated ocean temperatures. The severity and timing of these droughts vary with each El Niño event, but the strongest impacts remain relatively consistent.
Asia often suffers significantly during El Niño years, with increased frequency of droughts leading to:
- Food and water shortages
- Bushfires and poor air quality
- Power outages in countries like Vietnam, Myanmar, and Nepal, which depend heavily on hydroelectric power.
During the 2015 El Niño event, Thailand faced one of its worst droughts, exacerbating farmers’ poverty, driving up food prices, and impacting the entire country’s economy.
Conversely, El Niño events can bring increased rainfall to other regions, sometimes ending droughts. For instance, while California has experienced drought recently, it often sees higher rainfall levels during El Niño years.
La Niña and Drought
La Niña events can also lead to droughts, but they impact different regions compared to El Niño. Affected areas include Peru and Chile in South America.
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