UN warns of 'supersized' El Niño as countries prepare for impact

And in August, more than 1m people were forced to evacuate their homes as Typhoon Dolphin hit – bringing heavy rains and strong winds.Similarly, wetter-than-average weather is expected in parts of eastern Africa, southern Brazil and the southern US, raising the chances of flooding."We are already seeing disruption and devastation from droughts and floods and we expect these impacts to increase as El Niño intensifies," said Prof Celeste Saulo, secretary general of the WMO.This is all happening on top of long-term human-caused warming, making the impacts potentially more intense. Some scientists believe Climate Change could even be making El Niño events stronger, but this is not yet certain.Peru is particularly vulnerable to El Niño, as its coastline borders the eastern Pacific.Parts of the country, along with Ecuador and parts of Brazil, have previously experienced increased rainfall, resulting in flash flooding and landslides, particularly in urban centres where the water is less able to drain away.Miguel Aréstegui, climate resilience lead at Practical Action, which helps countries prepare for extreme weather, said "we are significantly concerned, but that concern needs to translate into preparedness rather than alarm."