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Scientists Warn: El Niño to Claim 4.5 Lakh Lives in 6 Months, India Not Spared.
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News18•23-09-2026, 16:05
Scientists Warn: El Niño to Claim 4.5 Lakh Lives in 6 Months, India Not Spared.
- •Climate scientists have issued a dire warning about the extremely powerful El Niño developing in the Pacific Ocean.
- •Over 4.5 lakh people worldwide could die due to additional heat in the next 6 months because of El Niño.
- •The Climate Impact Lab at the University of Chicago released this assessment, which is in addition to existing climate change-related deaths.
- •El Niño is a natural phenomenon where Pacific Ocean surface temperatures rise, altering global weather patterns.
- •India, along with Indonesia, Nigeria, and the United States, is expected to face severe impacts including drought, wildfires, and floods.
Key Questions Answered
Climate scientists at the University of Chicago's Climate Impact Lab estimate that an extremely powerful El Nino could cause over 4.5 lakh (451,000) additional deaths worldwide due to extreme heat over the next 6 months.
El Nino is a natural phenomenon where sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific Ocean rise above normal, altering global rain, temperature, and wind patterns. This can heighten the risk of extreme heat, droughts, heavy rainfall, floods, and storms across various regions.
Governments and local administrations can mitigate risks by implementing better heat forecasting, establishing cooling centers, increasing medical facility staffing during extreme heat, and protecting outdoor workers.
