Many parts of Papua New Guinea are feeling the full force of El Nino, with damaging impacts now reported from the country's Highlands to the coastal provinces.
Papua New Guinea is located directly north of Australia in the southwestern Pacific Ocean, separated by the Torres Strait.
A long dry spell is now escalating into a national humanitarian crisis, affecting water, food, and even lives.
PNG's National Broadcasting Corp. reports that bushfires are also becoming an issue as dry bush, kunai grass and forest floors have become highly flammable.
Officials across the Highlands have been urged to evaluate and provide immediate relief as the country braces for more dry months ahead.
Earlier this month, wildfires on Lou Islands in northern Papua New Guinea reportedly destroyed half of the island's forests. Locals lacked proper resources to contain the fires made worse by the El Nino.
The intensifying El Nino phase will bring exceptionally warm tropical Pacific Ocean conditions in the coming months. That's according to the World Meteorological Organization.
In a September update, the WMO said "El Nino is already causing disruption and devastation from droughts and floods in various parts of the world." The climate pattern is expected to peak towards the end of this year, with impacts continuing well into 2027.
