El Nino puts coral reefs, farms and economies at risk

This year's strong El Nino is increasing pressure on coral reefs, forests, farms and vulnerable economies, according to scientists, officials and people affected in several regions.

David Obura, chair of the UN's expert nature panel, said the event adds "a terrifying level of additional risk" for coral reefs. Corals are highly sensitive to heat, and climate change is making bleaching events more frequent and intense. A reassessment of coral health published in Nature found reef-building species had deteriorated since the last global census in 2008.

Forests are also under pressure. The independent Forest Declaration Assessment said global deforestation slowed last year, but warned that gains are unlikely to last as conditions worsen in Central Africa and El Nino raises fire risks across the tropics.

In Central America's Dry Corridor, drought linked to El Nino is hurting livestock. At a market in Sensuntepeque, El Salvador, rancher Antonio Aguilar pointed to an emaciated cow and said a lack of grass had left animals starving.

UN development chief Alexander De Croo said El Nino, together with higher energy costs and interest rates, could push millions into poverty. Sri Lanka's central bank warned that El Nino could weaken the island's recovery from its worst economic crisis in decades, with heavy rain forecast through December and prolonged drought expected early next year.

Scientists differ on how the current El Nino ranks because agencies use different measures. Britain's Met Office calls it "unprecedented" and Japan's weather agency calls it the strongest ever observed, while US forecasters have not yet declared a record. Climate scientist Emily Becker of the University of Miami said that "by any measure" it is a very strong El Nino, but that its place in history will be known only after it ends.

NOAA says 1982 is the strongest El Nino year in its dataset and that the current event is likely to surpass it. An AFP analysis of Copernicus satellite, ground-station and modelled data found August in El Salvador was 4.3C hotter than normal.