Paraguay Warns El Niño Flood May Match 1983
Paraguay's emergency minister says an El Niño flood could match 1983 as the river reaches 2.29 metres at Asunción, with NOAA eyeing a strong El Niño. The post Paraguay Warns El Niño Flood May Match 1983 appeared first on The Rio Times .
Paraguay's emergency minister, Arsenio Zárate, has warned that an El Niño flood could match the levels seen in 1983 as the river rises in the capital, Asunción. The U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicts a strong to very strong El Niño is likely through January to March 2027, with a chance above 83% for such a strong event.
Zárate cited NOAA as one of the forecasters behind his warning. The river in Asunción peaked that year at 9.01 meters on May 29, the highest reading in the national hydrology table. Current readings are far below the 1983 peaks, but all three stations measured rose by 17 to 22 centimeters in one day. The Asunción gauge stands about 4 meters above its November 2024 low.
An emergency declaration was approved, with a budget of about US$1.2 million for supplies and repairs. The city's disaster risk director estimated that about 3,300 families in low-lying riverside districts could be affected if the river rises to 3.5 meters. The Paraná River is also in flood near Ciudad del Este, which is a separate event.
The warning is based on NOAA forecasts, and Americans can follow the same El Niño that Paraguay is preparing for.
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