Strong El Niño could push 49 million more people into acute hunger, UN agency says

A report from the World Food Programme warns that a powerful El Niño weather event could push an additional 49 million people into acute food insecurity. The phenomenon, characterized by a periodic warming of ocean surface temperatures in the Pacific, is expected to significantly alter global weather patterns, disproportionately affecting the world's most vulnerable regions. The agency estimates an 81% probability of a very strong El Niño event occurring.

Specific regional impacts are already being identified, with the World Food Programme noting that 14 million people in Afghanistan are currently facing acute food insecurity. The potential for further destabilization of food supplies highlights the broader humanitarian risks associated with these shifting climate conditions.