El Niño under way and threatens weather extremes, scientists say

No two El Niños are alike, but the disruption is felt most sharply in the tropics.Flooding is common in northern Peru and southern Ecuador, and can reach parts of East Africa, Central Asia and the southern United States.At the same time, the risk of drought and wildfire rises across much of Australia, Indonesia and northern South America - hitting agriculture and global food stocks.El Niño also tends to suppress Atlantic hurricanes, and forecasters already expect a quieter-than-average season."While that sounds like a good thing, for Central America that leads to a lot less rainfall and potentially drought conditions," said Liz Stephens, professor of climate risk and resilience at the University of Reading.Even the UK feels it, if faintly: El Niño can tilt the odds towards a mild start and cold end to winter, though the links are loose.For many, the forecast is far from abstract."An El Niño declaration is not just another weather forecast - for millions of people it is a deadly siren to be feared," said Mohamed Adow, director of campaign group Power Shift Africa.