As Hawaiʻi continues to clean up in the aftermath of Hurricane Lala, several countries in the South Pacific are dealing with drought as a result of the climate pattern of El Niño.
El Niño is a global climate phenomenon that is created by changes in winds and sea surface temperatures over the tropical Pacific Ocean.
In Papua New Guinea, itʻs been the reason schools in several areas have been shortening class times.
PNG's National Broadcasting Corporation reports that revised schedules have been announced across all education levels. School officials are being told to monitor available water supplies and observe staff and students closely for signs of heat exhaustion and dehydration.
Meanwhile, Samoa's meteorology division says El Niño is expected to persist through the remainder of 2026, with a 60% to 70% chance of below-normal rainfall.
It also warns that despite El Niño generally bringing drier conditions to Samoa, the risk of tropical cyclones is also elevated.
Vanuatu's weather service has declared a drought for some northern parts of the country, where rainfall has been significantly below the long-term average for an extended period of time.
The Fiji Times reports its weather service's latest outlook indicates a high chance of very dry conditions across several parts of the country through the end of August.
