This year, the world is set to experience an extremely intense El Niño weather event, which could disrupt typical weather patterns and lead to heavy rainfall in some regions and severe drought in others. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts that this El Niño has a greater than 90% chance of becoming 'very strong':
The UN World Food Programme estimates that El Niño could push almost 50 million more people worldwide into acute hunger, an increase of about one-fifth from current levels:
The Panama Canal Authority has already tightened ship-loading limits as a prolonged dry spell threatens this key trade route:
This phenomenon could also lead to disruptions in food supply chains, water shortages, and even civil conflict:
