UN Warns Unprecedented El Niño Could Affect 50 Million People
United Nations officials warn an unprecedented El Niño event may trigger global humanitarian crises, prompting the release of $50 million in emergency preparedness funding.
The United Nations warned on October 21 and 22, 2026, that an unprecedented El Niño event is approaching, with the potential to trigger global economic shocks and humanitarian crises. The World Meteorological Organization projects that sea surface temperatures in the tropical Pacific could rise to 3.8°C above average between November 2026 and January 2027, a level that may exceed monitoring charts used for the last four decades.
UN humanitarian chief Tom Fletcher described the phenomenon as a "wrecking ball" for Latin America, Asia, the Pacific, and eastern and southern Africa. He warned that up to 50 million people could face increased hunger and that the resulting instability could fuel conflict, displacement, and migration. Specific regional risks include flooding in East Africa, drought in Southern Africa, and rainfall deficits in Southeast Asia, where rising temperatures and wildfire hazards may pressure water resources. In El Salvador, the Food and Agriculture Organization forecasts a below-average maize harvest for the 2026 main Primera season.
To support immediate action, the UN released over $50 million from the Central Emergency Response Fund to 11 frontline countries, including Chad, El Salvador, Ethiopia, Somalia, and South Sudan. Fletcher emphasized that the next two weeks represent a critical window for global mobilization, stating that the humanitarian system cannot cope with a threat of this scale alone.
