The UK Government has urged citizens to stock up on water and food due to the early arrival of the climate phenomenon El Niño, which is expected to be one of the most intense ever recorded.
António Guterres, UN Secretary-General, has expressed his concern, stating that “El Niño is intensifying before our eyes.” Scientists warn that the planet is entering “uncharted territory” with the warming of oceans and an increase in extreme weather events.
Angela Eagle, UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, stated that the Government is preparing a campaign to encourage citizens to have sufficient supplies in case of emergencies. El Niño is expected to generate a winter with heavy rains and storms in the UK, prompting her to urge people to be ready to spend several days without access to electricity or running water.
“We are about to experience probably the most intense El Niño phenomenon ever seen,” Eagle indicated. “It will cause much more damage in Asia due to flooding, so I believe we need to take it seriously.” The official added that preparing for the phenomenon involves greater resilience, highlighting the importance of having a food supply to survive until emergency services arrive.
This year, the UK has recorded its hottest summer, and citizens are already feeling the effects of climate change. Eagle will oversee agricultural improvements and a new program to build reservoirs that will help the country prepare for extreme weather conditions in the future.
Meteorologists warn that El Niño could be the most intense in at least 1,000 years, with predictions that it could last until February 2027. It is estimated that 2027 could become the hottest year on record. The ocean temperature in the central El Niño region is currently 2.6 degrees Celsius above the average of the past 30 years.
The impact of this phenomenon has led to terms such as “super El Niño” or “Godzilla El Niño,” with Celeste Saulo, Secretary-General of the WMO, warning that “El Niño has the potential to deal a devastating blow to communities and economies around the world.”
Source: www.infobae.com
