Daniel Wolfram
According to experts, El Niño will continue to wreak havoc all over the world at least until early 2027.
The weather phenomenon El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) has been covered extensively here on Dagens.com as it has caused severe weather all over the world.
The extreme weather has shattered temperature records during the summer.
Now, climate experts warn that El Niño could cause more than 450,000 deaths in just a four-month span.
Mind-blowing heat from El Niño
Researchers at the Climate Impact Lab report that the extra warmth could claim over 450,000 lives by February next year. Scientists describe the current event as “mind-blowing” and “Godzilla-level” in its intensity.
The impact will spread across the globe. Tropical nations like Nigeria, Indonesia, Sudan, India, and Brazil face the heaviest burden over the coming months.
The Climate Impact Lab projects that Nigeria will be hit hardest with an estimated 31,320 additional deaths due to El Niño.
Even the US will see severe effects, with an estimated 3,500 additional heat deaths projected. Beyond extreme temperatures, the phenomenon triggers destructive droughts, wildfires, and floods, which also contribute to loss of life.
A warning sign
Co-author and Professor Michael Greenstone explained the human reality behind the data. “The estimate of 451,000 people is such a large number that it can be numbing, but it is made up of parents and children, grandparents and neighbors, people going to work, caring for families, and living their lives,” he said.
Experts also view this super El Niño as a “postcard from our future” that offers a glimpse of normal temperatures 20 years from now because of global warming.
Assistant Professor and co-author of the report, Tamma Carleton of UC Berkeley, urged leaders to act quickly.
“Increasing emergency response and better targeting our efforts can save many lives this year,” she said. “But 20 years from now, once today’s extreme temperatures become the new normal, we don’t want to be in a constant state of emergency. We need to mobilize now to design, deploy and evaluate the tools that will save lives in the years ahead.”
