100 million people are severely lacking food due to the impact of El Nino

(Baonghean.vn) - Extreme weather events caused by the unprecedented El Nino phenomenon have left 100 million people facing severe food and water shortages. Asia, North Africa and Latin America are the regions most severely affected, the United Nations and international aid organizations have warned.

A farmer tends a field of yellow maize near the capital Lilongwe, Malawi, in February 2016. Malawi is facing its first shortage of yellow maize in a decade, causing prices to skyrocket. Photo: Reuters

The world is facing the most severe El Nino phenomenon in 50 years, with prolonged droughts and floods, according to the latest figures from the United Nations. Global agricultural production has been severely affected, especially in Africa, causing nearly 1 million children to suffer from acute malnutrition and more than 60 million people are at risk of food shortages next year.

Meanwhile, in the Asia-Pacific region, millions of people are struggling to cope with heat waves, water shortages and forest fires.

“Governments are mobilising all their food reserves, but this is an unprecedented situation. The situation is getting worse as rising food prices force families to cut food rations and sell off assets,” said Leila Gharagozloo-Pakkala, Unicef’s regional director for Southern Africa.

According to the World Health Organization (WHO), heavy rains caused by El Nino in Peru, Ecuador, Paraguay and southern Brazil could cause the Zika virus to continue to spread strongly. Concerns are also growing that affected countries may not receive timely support, as international aid is focused on dealing with complicated developments in Syria and the Ebola epidemic.

Huyen Tran

(According to The Guardian)