Rodrigo Paz, the President of Bolivia, has declared a national emergency to mobilize necessary resources and strengthen the response to natural disasters. This action has been taken due to predictions of drought and severe flooding associated with the El Niño phenomenon.
Predicted Impacts of El Niño
The President stated: "This phenomenon will have very severe impacts in terms of drought and flooding, and we need the cooperation of all institutions." This announcement is intended to facilitate the use of additional rescue teams and coordination among national and regional authorities, armed forces, and police.
According to a report from the Bolivian government, drought could lead to a severe reduction in water resources and agricultural problems in many areas of the country. Officials have also warned of the potential for flooding, flash floods, and landslides at the beginning of the rainy season.
The El Niño Phenomenon and Its Global Impacts
El Niño is a periodic phenomenon associated with the warming of sea surface temperatures in the equatorial Pacific, disrupting global weather patterns. This phenomenon typically causes drought in some areas and heavy rainfall in others. The current El Niño began in June and has rapidly intensified, now on track to become an exceptionally strong El Niño.
Research indicates that the unusually high temperatures associated with the current El Niño could lead to approximately 451,000 additional deaths worldwide from June 2026 to February 2027. The United Nations has described the current El Niño, expected to peak in December, as "a phenomenon that exceeds normal limits."
The impacts of this phenomenon may last for years, and the United Nations has urged Pacific Rim countries to prepare for the worst-case scenario. Just in the past month, changes in weather patterns associated with El Niño have led to severe and unexpected events in many parts of the world.
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