Millions of children in Latin America at risk from El Nino, says Unicef

Unicef has raised concerns over millions of children in Latin America facing risks from severe droughts and flooding caused by a historic El Nino episode. This naturally occurring climate variation warms temperatures in the equatorial Pacific Ocean, disrupting wind and rain patterns globally. This year's El Nino is predicted to be the strongest on record.

The UN agency states that 25.8 million Latin American children, or one in seven, are at risk from droughts and flooding that are already causing havoc across South and Central America. The effects of these disasters threaten to push more children into deeper vulnerability and increase existing inequalities, according to Roberto Benes, Unicef's Regional Director for Latin America and the Caribbean.

The impact varies across the region, with Central American nations facing drought-induced harvest losses and malnutrition risks, while parts of Bolivia, Colombia, Chile, and Venezuela face elevated wildfire risks. In the Amazon basin, dwindling river levels could isolate riverside communities. On the Pacific coast of Mexico and South America, increased rainfall may lead to flooding and damage to infrastructure.

The agency also warns of additional misery for Cuba and Haiti. El Nino's effects are further evidenced by this year's intense Pacific hurricane season, where a major storm can cause widespread destruction and disrupt the lives of hundreds of thousands of children. Unicef has requested US$53.8 million to respond to these emergencies in Latin America but has only managed to raise half of that amount as of June 30.

The agency, like other UN organizations, has faced significant funding cuts since the US President Donald Trump took office last year.