More than 451,000 people are projected to die across the globe in the next six months from the additional heat brought by a super El Niño, according to estimates from climate scientists released Wednesday. The El Niño—the warm phase of the Pacific Ocean’s recurring cycle, when heat from the ocean is released into the atmosphere—began […]
Inside Climate News•By Arcelia Martin3h ago
Country: Somalia Source: CARE Mogadishu, Somalia, September 23, 2026 – Across Somalia, as food becomes increasingly scarce, women and girls are bearing the heaviest burden. Mothers are struggling to keep their children fed, pregnant and breastfeeding women are battling to meet their own nutritional needs, and girls face growing risks of dropping out of school, exploitation and early marriage. As needs rise and support dwindles, a looming Super El Niño threatens to bring flooding, disease outbreaks and displacement to communities already pushed to their limits. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) analysis confirms that hunger is worsening across Somalia. An estimated 5.4 million people are projected to face Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels of hunger or worse between October and December 2026, compared to 4.4 million people during the same period in 2025. The number of people facing Emergency (IPC Phase 4) levels of hunger is projected to rise from 921,000 during October to December 2025 to 1.48 million during the same period this year. 26,000 people in Baidoa are projected to face Catastrophe (IPC Phase 5) by the end of 2026, placing them at risk of famine if worsening floods, rising food prices, and humanitarian funding shortfalls are not addressed. The deterioration comes as humanitarian funding continues to shrink. The number of people receiving food assistance, including food baskets, cash vouchers and agricultural support, has almost halved between January and June 2026. As a result, just 1 per cent of people in need are expected to receive food assistance during October to December. Women and children in displacement sites are likely to bear the brunt of these cuts. For Fadumo, a 42-year-old displaced mother living in a camp on the outskirts of Mogadishu, hunger has become a daily reality. “Today, I have zero food in the house and we have not eaten anything yet,” she said. “We wait for my son to return. Only then will I know if we will eat today.” Fadumo fled violence in Somalia’s Hiiraan region with her family. Today, she shares a cramped shelter with her disabled husband, her elderly mother, nine children, and seven nieces and nephews. Their entire survival hinges on what her 11-year-old son earns shining shoes in the streets of Mogadishu, a few dollars on a good day, and nothing on others. Since May 2026, health services, food assistance, water distribution, emergency cash, and dedicated safe spaces for women and girls have all been suspended due to funding cuts. The impact on women and children is already severe. An estimated 1.1 million women and children are expected to miss lifesaving treatment and preventative nutrition services following the closure of 233 nutrition centres. Nine in ten children suffering from moderate acute malnutrition are expected to lose access to support from October onwards. Admissions to stabilization centres for severely malnourished children have already increased by 40 per cent. Between March and August 2026, 15,505 acutely malnourished children were treated at CARE and partner-supported health facilities across Somalia. However, due to funding shortages, only six of the 75 CARE and partner-supported health facilities across Somalia that had been supporting the treatment of acute malnutrition are expected to remain operational after September 2026. “Somalia’s mothers are fighting an agonizing battle on every front, doing whatever it takes to feed their children today, while fearing the floodwaters of tomorrow,” says Ummy Dubow, CARE Somalia Country Director . “Hunger is rising, aid is shrinking and women and children are being left with fewer and fewer ways to cope. We are being forced to close lifesaving health centres not because the need has disappeared, but because the funding has. If these facilities shut their doors just as the rains arrive, the consequences will be measured in children’s lives. The window to act is closing fast.” Forecasts indicate a high likelihood of a very strong El Niño during Somalia’s October to December Deyr rains. Above-average rainfall could trigger severe flooding, damaging crops and infrastructure, disrupting markets, contaminating water sources, spreading disease, and displacing large numbers of people. In Beletweyne, one of Somalia’s largest displacement hubs, flooding could displace more than 200,000 people. Displaced communities in the area could face Extremely Critical (IPC Phase 5) levels of acute malnutrition, as flooding, disease outbreaks and reduced services combine to create catastrophic conditions. “El Niño-related risks can quickly become a protection, health and livelihoods crisis in Somalia,” says Ahmed Nasir, Deputy Director, Save Somali Women and Children (SSWC) . ” In Beletweyne, for instance, women and girls face increased risks when floods displace families. Water sources become contaminated, while damaged latrines increase risks of disease outbreaks and make essential services harder to reach. Communities have strong local coping capacity, but they need early warnings, anticipatory finance, safe evacuation routes, emergency cash and protection services designed with women and girls at the centre.” CARE is calling for an immediate and significant increase in humanitarian funding. Quality funding that is flexible and predictable is urgently needed and must be channeled as directly as possible to national and international organizations, including to women-led organizations, as central actors in the response. CARE also calls on all parties to ensure safe, rapid and unhindered humanitarian access to affected people and to uphold their obligations under international humanitarian law. Without urgent action, millions of women, children and vulnerable families will face an increasingly dangerous combination of risks, including hunger, malnutrition, displacement, protection and violence against women and girls, making them even more vulnerable to ongoing and future climate shocks. About CARE in Somalia CARE has been working in Somalia since 1981, supporting vulnerable communities affected by conflict, climate shocks, displacement, and poverty. Working alongside local partners, authorities, and communities, CARE is delivering cash assistance, healthcare, nutrition and protection services such as safe spaces for women and girls, psychosocial support, and emergency care for survivors of violence, where possible. For media inquiries , please email usa.media@care.org, or contact Pauline Hurungudo , CARE East and Southern Africa, Regional Communications Advisor, Pauline.Hurungudo@care.org
ReliefWeb•CARE4h ago
El Niño poses critical threat to nations’ defences, says Ed Miliband in presentation to global foreign ministers The UK has warned countries around the world that the climate and nature crises and the coming El Niño threaten their national security and defence, presenting foreign ministries with the findings of an explosive report suppressed under Keir Starmer. Ed Miliband, foreign secretary, made a presentation to the foreign ministers of the EU as well as Kenya and other countries on Wednesday night at a private meeting during the UN general assembly in New York, based on the report by the UK’s spy chiefs that found the collapse of natural systems around the world would lead to conflict, migration and food shortages. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Fiona Harvey Environment editor5h ago
This year's powerful El Niño and the record global heat it's driving, along with severe droughts, wildfires and shrinking water supplies, could lead to nearly half a million more deaths worldwide by the end of February, according to a research report released Wednesday.
Global South countries will be worst affected by the phenomenon sweeping the planet from June to February.
Al Jazeera8h ago
Extreme heat caused by this year’s “super El Niño” could lead to as many as 451,000 excess deaths worldwide in the six months to February 2027, according to researchers at the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab. The number of extremely hot days is expected to rise by 44%, with Nigeria, Indonesia and Sudan among the countries likely to be worst affected. Researchers warn that the impact could extend well beyond the six-month period studied. Carys Garland reports.
Researchers project nearly half a million more heat-related deaths from June 2026 to February 2027 compared with a typical year, as a result of El Niño.
The worst heat may still be to come.
The Hill•Alix Martichoux9h ago
Cooperation on OceanEye, which will help to predict extreme weather and climate events, comes amid government attempts to move closer to Brussels Britain is to join a major new ocean science programme, led by the EU, to better forecast extreme weather and climate events, it will announce today in New York. The announcement comes as Andy Burnham’s government aims to rebuild the UK’s relationship with Europe, and follows warnings that this year’s “supersized” El Niño, tracked in the Pacific Ocean, will fuel more extreme weather globally. Continue reading...
The Guardian•Karen McVeigh10h ago
Experts have linked the rapid intensification of the ‘extremely dangerous’ storm to El Nino
Country: Somalia Sources: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UN Children's Fund, World Food Programme The Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations warn that projected flooding and funding shortfalls could worsen the hunger crisis and push more people – especially children -- into extreme food insecurity and acute malnutrition. MOGADISHU, 23 September 2026 – Millions of people across Somalia continue to face high levels of hunger while acute malnutrition among children is set to worsen over the coming months when heavy flooding associated with the anticipated El Niño is expected to worsen the situation during October to December 2026, the Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations (UN) warned today. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)* analysis projects that 5.4 million people will face crisis levels of hunger or worse between October and December 2026, including 1.5 million people facing emergency levels of hunger or worse. According to the IPC analysis, 1.92 million under-five children will require treatment for acute malnutrition between July 2026 and June 2027, including 433,000 children with severe acute malnutrition - the deadliest form. Nearly 62 per cent of the country's malnutrition burden is concentrated amongst rural populations; while internally displaced people in Belet Weyne and pockets within the displacement sites in Baidoa, are projected to reach Extremely Critical levels (IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5) as anticipated flooding disrupts access to services. According to the assessment, acute malnutrition in Burhakaba district, Bay region, which was at risk of famine in April, has improved, as a combined result of the Gu rains and a scale-up of the humanitarian response in that district. The current analysis however indicates a risk of famine in Baidoa, also in Bay region, where internally displaced people (IDPs) face both catastrophic hunger risk and extremely critical malnutrition classifications. As the risk of famine assessment for Baidoa IDPs is based on data collected in April 2026, a follow up assessment is planned for October 2026 to gather new evidence and confirm the level of risk. “The humanitarian crisis in Somalia remains dire and millions of people are at risk due to these high levels of hunger and malnutrition,” said George Conway, Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “The projected threat of El Niño-related flooding will further undermine already fragile livelihoods, displace vulnerable communities and increase the risk of disease. We call for urgent action and additional resources to protect lives, strengthen preparedness and prevent this crisis from deteriorating further.” The period from October to December 2026 carries the highest risk, as floods are projected due to heavy El Niño-induced rains that will hit rural riverine and agropastoral communities hardest — destroying crops and livestock, cutting households off from markets and income, and triggering new waves of displacement. According to the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), 2.5 to 3.5 million people could be exposed to flooding, with 1 million likely to be displaced from areas where they farm and graze livestock, swelling the ranks of people already facing acute hunger. “We are deeply concerned by the worsening food insecurity and malnutrition situation, particularly as we prepare for the potential impacts of El Niño,” said Mohamuud Moallim Abdullahi, Commissioner, Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA). “The Government is working closely with humanitarian partners and state authorities to address the multiple crises that Somalia is facing. We urge all partners and donors to support these efforts so that we can act early, protect lives and livelihoods, and reduce human suffering.” The Federal Government of Somalia and the UN are calling for immediate action to protect and finance the continuity of both general food and cash assistance and treatment for severe and moderate acute malnutrition; pre-position food, emergency livelihoods and nutrition supplies, and enhance cash readiness in rural and flood-prone areas before flooding restricts road access in October; and scale up integrated food security, nutrition, health, and water and sanitation outreach, as well as screening for rural host communities and IDPs alike in the highest-risk districts. With limited funding, a sustained investment in seasonal food security, nutrition and mortality assessments and monitoring is urgently needed to inform prioritization decisions and support timely action. Funding decisions taken in the coming weeks will determine whether both food and treatment are available when the October deterioration begins — and whether these can still reach communities once roads are cut. Agropastoral communities across the country, already weakened by successive poor seasons including the below-average 2026 Gu rains, are among the most affected. Rural areas account for two thirds of the malnutrition burden. El Niño-induced flooding anticipated during the Deyr (October to December) season is expected to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, disrupt food production and drive further displacement, food insecurity and malnutrition. "Families already facing hunger cannot afford to lose their harvests or livestock to floods," said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia. "Urgent funding is needed to turn early warnings into action, to save lives, protect livelihoods, and support early recovery for rural populations as this crisis deepens." **“**Millions across Somalia are struggling to recover from drought, insecurity and high food costs, with many families having exhausted the resources they relied on,” said Hameed Nuru, WFP Representative and Country Director in Somalia. “As flooding threatens to bring yet another shock, WFP is preparing for the months ahead, delivering assistance to communities most in need, and supporting early action to protect lives and livelihoods. The support we receive now will determine how many families we can support before the crisis deepens.” “Between 2021 and 2025, UNICEF, together with the Government of Somalia and partners, supported more than 2.25 million admissions of children with severe acute malnutrition. Timely access to treatment has saved lives and given children the opportunity to recover and thrive,” said Sandra Lattouf, UNICEF Representative in Somalia. “Today, these critical services are under increasing pressure due to funding shortages. Urgent support is needed to help Somali authorities and partners maintain treatment services through the end of the year and ensure that essential nutrition supplies reach the children and communities that need them most before access routes become more constrained. The UN in Somalia is scaling up integrated nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and food security assistance in the highest-risk districts, prioritising areas classified at Phase 4 and above and displacement settlements in Beledweyne and Baidoa.##### Notes for editors: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a multi-partner initiative for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. Governments, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society and other actors use the IPC classification and analytical approach to determine the severity and magnitude of acute and chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition, according to internationally recognized scientific standards. Find out more here . About FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. About UNICEF UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. About WFP The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of weather extremes. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp, @WFPSomalia For more information, please contact: Zaki Hassan |FAO Somalia|+46 769 466 679 |Email: zaki.hassan@fao.org Sandra Bisin |UNICEF Somalia|+ 252 61 337 5885|Email: sbisin@unicef.org Joe English | UNICEF New York | +1 917 893 0692 |Email: jenglish@unicef.org Fatima Hirsi | WFP Somalia | +252 61 177 9672 |Email: fatima.hirsi@wfp.org Azfar Deen | WFP Nairobi | +39 345 846 6425 |Email: azfar.deen@wfp.org
ReliefWeb•World Food Programme10h ago
Country: Somalia Sources: Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, UN Children's Fund, World Food Programme The Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations warn that projected flooding and funding shortfalls could worsen the hunger crisis and push more people – especially children -- into extreme food insecurity and acute malnutrition. MOGADISHU, 23 September 2026 – Millions of people across Somalia continue to face high levels of hunger while acute malnutrition among children is set to worsen over the coming months when heavy flooding associated with the anticipated El Niño is expected to worsen the situation during October to December 2026, the Federal Government of Somalia and the United Nations (UN) warned today. The latest Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC)* analysis projects that 5.4 million people will face crisis levels of hunger or worse between October and December 2026, including 1.5 million people facing emergency levels of hunger or worse. According to the IPC analysis, 1.92 million under-five children will require treatment for acute malnutrition between July 2026 and June 2027, including 433,000 children with severe acute malnutrition - the deadliest form. Nearly 62 per cent of the country's malnutrition burden is concentrated amongst rural populations; while internally displaced people in Belet Weyne and pockets within the displacement sites in Baidoa, are projected to reach Extremely Critical levels (IPC Acute Malnutrition Phase 5) as anticipated flooding disrupts access to services. According to the assessment, acute malnutrition in Burhakaba district, Bay region, which was at risk of famine in April, has improved, as a combined result of the Gu rains and a scale-up of the humanitarian response in that district. The current analysis however indicates a risk of famine in Baidoa, also in Bay region, where internally displaced people (IDPs) face both catastrophic hunger risk and extremely critical malnutrition classifications. As the risk of famine assessment for Baidoa IDPs is based on data collected in April 2026, a follow up assessment is planned for October 2026 to gather new evidence and confirm the level of risk. “The humanitarian crisis in Somalia remains dire and millions of people are at risk due to these high levels of hunger and malnutrition,” said George Conway, Humanitarian Coordinator for Somalia. “The projected threat of El Niño-related flooding will further undermine already fragile livelihoods, displace vulnerable communities and increase the risk of disease. We call for urgent action and additional resources to protect lives, strengthen preparedness and prevent this crisis from deteriorating further.” The period from October to December 2026 carries the highest risk, as floods are projected due to heavy El Niño-induced rains that will hit rural riverine and agropastoral communities hardest — destroying crops and livestock, cutting households off from markets and income, and triggering new waves of displacement. According to the Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA), 2.5 to 3.5 million people could be exposed to flooding, with 1 million likely to be displaced from areas where they farm and graze livestock, swelling the ranks of people already facing acute hunger. “We are deeply concerned by the worsening food insecurity and malnutrition situation, particularly as we prepare for the potential impacts of El Niño,” said Mohamuud Moallim Abdullahi, Commissioner, Somalia Disaster Management Agency (SODMA). “The Government is working closely with humanitarian partners and state authorities to address the multiple crises that Somalia is facing. We urge all partners and donors to support these efforts so that we can act early, protect lives and livelihoods, and reduce human suffering.” The Federal Government of Somalia and the UN are calling for immediate action to protect and finance the continuity of both general food and cash assistance and treatment for severe and moderate acute malnutrition; pre-position food, emergency livelihoods and nutrition supplies, and enhance cash readiness in rural and flood-prone areas before flooding restricts road access in October; and scale up integrated food security, nutrition, health, and water and sanitation outreach, as well as screening for rural host communities and IDPs alike in the highest-risk districts. With limited funding, a sustained investment in seasonal food security, nutrition and mortality assessments and monitoring is urgently needed to inform prioritization decisions and support timely action. Funding decisions taken in the coming weeks will determine whether both food and treatment are available when the October deterioration begins — and whether these can still reach communities once roads are cut. Agropastoral communities across the country, already weakened by successive poor seasons including the below-average 2026 Gu rains, are among the most affected. Rural areas account for two thirds of the malnutrition burden. El Niño-induced flooding anticipated during the Deyr (October to December) season is expected to exacerbate existing vulnerabilities, disrupt food production and drive further displacement, food insecurity and malnutrition. "Families already facing hunger cannot afford to lose their harvests or livestock to floods," said Etienne Peterschmitt, FAO Representative in Somalia. "Urgent funding is needed to turn early warnings into action, to save lives, protect livelihoods, and support early recovery for rural populations as this crisis deepens." **“**Millions across Somalia are struggling to recover from drought, insecurity and high food costs, with many families having exhausted the resources they relied on,” said Hameed Nuru, WFP Representative and Country Director in Somalia. “As flooding threatens to bring yet another shock, WFP is preparing for the months ahead, delivering assistance to communities most in need, and supporting early action to protect lives and livelihoods. The support we receive now will determine how many families we can support before the crisis deepens.” “Between 2021 and 2025, UNICEF, together with the Government of Somalia and partners, supported more than 2.25 million admissions of children with severe acute malnutrition. Timely access to treatment has saved lives and given children the opportunity to recover and thrive,” said Sandra Lattouf, UNICEF Representative in Somalia. “Today, these critical services are under increasing pressure due to funding shortages. Urgent support is needed to help Somali authorities and partners maintain treatment services through the end of the year and ensure that essential nutrition supplies reach the children and communities that need them most before access routes become more constrained. The UN in Somalia is scaling up integrated nutrition, health, water and sanitation, and food security assistance in the highest-risk districts, prioritising areas classified at Phase 4 and above and displacement settlements in Beledweyne and Baidoa.##### Notes for editors: The Integrated Food Security Phase Classification (IPC) is a multi-partner initiative for improving food security and nutrition analysis and decision-making. Governments, UN agencies, NGOs, civil society and other actors use the IPC classification and analytical approach to determine the severity and magnitude of acute and chronic food insecurity, and acute malnutrition, according to internationally recognized scientific standards. Find out more here . About FAO The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is a specialized agency of the United Nations that leads international efforts to defeat hunger. Our goal is to achieve food security for all and make sure that people have regular access to enough high-quality food to lead active, healthy lives. About UNICEF UNICEF works in some of the world's toughest places, to reach the world's most disadvantaged children. Across more than 190 countries and territories, we work for every child, everywhere, to build a better world for everyone. About WFP The United Nations World Food Programme is the world’s largest humanitarian organization saving lives in emergencies and using food assistance to build a pathway to peace, stability and prosperity for people recovering from conflict, disasters and the impact of weather extremes. Follow us on X, formerly Twitter, via @wfp, @WFPSomalia For more information, please contact: Zaki Hassan |FAO Somalia|+46 769 466 679 |Email: zaki.hassan@fao.org Sandra Bisin |UNICEF Somalia|+ 252 61 337 5885|Email: sbisin@unicef.org Joe English | UNICEF New York | +1 917 893 0692 |Email: jenglish@unicef.org Fatima Hirsi | WFP Somalia | +252 61 177 9672 |Email: fatima.hirsi@wfp.org Azfar Deen | WFP Nairobi | +39 345 846 6425 |Email: azfar.deen@wfp.org
ReliefWeb•World Food Programme10h ago
Extreme heat linked to this year’s “super El Niño” could cause up to 451,000 excess deaths worldwide in the six months to February 2027, according to researchers at the University of Chicago’s Climate Impact Lab. The number of extremely hot days is expected to rise by 44%, with Nigeria, Indonesia and Sudan among the countries likely to be most affected. Researchers warn that the impact could extend well beyond the six-month period studied. Chloe Brimicombe, a climate scientist from the University of Oxford, shares further details about this climate phenomenon.
Country: Somalia Source: Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia Please refer to the attached file. Overview Somalia continues to face a volatile and complex food and nutrition crisis, with the risk of Famine identified for the second consecutive IPC analysis. Previous droughts, erratic rainfall, insecurity, and above-average food prices are driving high levels of need, while the impacts of El Niño are expected to further aggravate conditions. At the same time, humanitarian funding and response capacity have declined sharply since January 2026 and are likely to reduce further in the coming months despite increasing needs. Nearly 5.1 million people are facing high levels of acute food insecurity— IPC Acute Food Insecurity (AFI) Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse)—from July–September 2026. While an improvement from the April 2026 analysis, it is a 50 percent increase from the same period in 2025. Close to 1.4 million people are facing IPC AFI Phase 4 (Emergency), which is characterised by large food gaps and high acute malnutrition. Food security conditions vary significantly across the country. Pastoral, agropastoral and riverine areas are experiencing improvements in southern Somalia in the current period due to near-average rainfall during the Aprilto-June 2026 Gu season. However, Gu rains performed poorly in pastoral livelihoods of the northeastern region and adjacent areas in northwest and central Somalia. During the October–December 2026 projection period, the population in IPC AFI Phase 3 or above is expected to increase by 6 percent, to 5.4 million people, driven largely by flooding from El Niño and the Indian Ocean Dipole. This includes 1.5 million people in IPC AFI Phase 4 (Emergency) and, alarmingly, close to 26,000 people in Bay Region among Baidoa internally displaced persons (IDPs) in Catastrophe (IPC AFI Phase 5), facing starvation and the collapse of livelihoods. In a plausible worst-case scenario in which El Niño flooding and associated displacement are worse than expected, Baidoa IDPs face a risk of Famine from October–December 2026. Acute malnutrition has also deteriorated, with an estimated 1.92 million children aged 6–59 months suffering or expected to suffer from acute malnutrition from July 2026 to June 2027—a 4 percent increase from 2025. Approximately 157,000 pregnant and breastfeeding women are also facing or expected to face acute malnutrition during the same period. From June–September 2026, 19 areas are classified as IPC Acute Malnutrition (AMN) Phase 4 (Critical), reflecting a significant deterioration compared to historical trends. The situation is expected to further deteriorate in the projection period as El Niño rains heighten disease burden and outbreaks in IDP settlements, compromise access to safe water and hygiene practices, and severely limit access to health and nutrition services. Beletweyne IDPs are expected to deteriorate to Phase 5 (Extremely Critical), which is characterised by high disease prevalence and widespread deaths. Substantive deterioration towards the upper limit of IPC AMN Phase 4 is expected in seven areas: Bari Urban IDPs (Bossaaso), Bay Urban IDPs (Baidoa), Nugaal Urban IDPs (Garoowe), Beletweyne District, North Gedo Riverine, Bay Agropastoral and Shabelle Riverine livelihoods. While conditions remain severe, the acute malnutrition situation among agropastoral populations in Burhakaba District has shown a significant improvement since the April 2026 analysis, which identified the area as at risk of Famine through June 2026. This is largely attributed to the scale-up of a targeted and integrated humanitarian response. Urgent action is critical to save lives and mitigate the high levels of need forecasted for October to December. This includes an immediate and targeted scale-up of humanitarian food security assistance as part of an integrated humanitarian response and alongside anticipatory action.
ReliefWeb•Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia11h ago
Country: Somalia Source: Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia Please refer to the attached file. Overview Somalia continues to face a volatile and complex food and nutrition crisis, with the risk of Famine (RoF) identified for the second consecutive IPC analysis. Acute food insecurity remains high due to a combination of factors, including the lingering effects of previous droughts, erratic rainfall in the 2026 April-toJune Gu season, conflict and insecurity, and above-average food prices, and El Niño related flooding during the forthcoming 2026 October-to-December Deyr season. Between July and September 2026, nearly 5.1 million people (26 percent of the analysed population) are facing high levels of acute food insecurity—IPC Acute Food Insecurity (AFI) Phase 3 or above (Crisis or worse). This includes close to 1.4 million people (7 percent of the analysed population) in IPC AFI Phase 4 (Emergency), which is characterised by large food gaps and high levels of acute malnutrition. While this reflects better-than expected seasonal improvement compared to the last analysis in April 2026, it represents a 50 percent year-onyear increase since July–September 2025 and the second highest number of people in IPC AFI Phase 3 or above since 2017. This steep deterioration from last year comes amid a sharp decline in humanitarian funding and response capacity, with humanitarian food security assistance (HFSA) expected to decline further in the coming months.
ReliefWeb•Food Security and Nutrition Analysis Unit - Somalia11h agoCountry: Democratic Republic of the Congo Source: CARE The twin threat of Ebola and El Niño in the Democratic Republic of Congo risks deepening an already dire humanitarian crisis, CARE International warns today. The warning comes as a new report projects as many as 10,000 people in the DRC could die as a result of additional heat brought by the super El Niño in the next six months. Michael Alandu, CARE Regional Director for West and Central Africa, said: “We are witnessing Ebola spread at a terrifying speed through communities already pushed to the brink by severe hunger, displacement, disease and conflict. At the same time, communities are bracing for El Niño-driven floods and drought.” Extreme weather cause by El Niño could displace families, destroy homes and livelihoods, contaminate water sources, disrupt health services, and leave entire communities cut off as roads and bridges become impassable. “When people are struggling to meet their most basic needs, disease spreads faster and becomes far harder to contain. The appearance of Ebola in South Ubangi, more than 1,000 kilometers from where it started in Ituri province, proves that no community is safe from the virus. Every new case places an intolerable burden on a healthcare system that is already stretched beyond its limits,” Alandu said. With millions displaced across the affected provinces, tracking exposure and containing Ebola is especially challenging. Many people live in overcrowded areas with limited access to healthcare, clean water and sanitation, while insecurity and poor road infrastructure make it harder to detect cases, reach communities and stop transmission. These same barriers can also undermine community engagement, surveillance, referral and access to care, all of which are essential to controlling an outbreak. Women and girls are paying the highest price in this crisis. They are often the ones caring for sick relatives, collecting water, finding food and looking after children, increasing their risk of exposure while adding to an already overwhelming burden. Displacement, disrupted services and economic hardship also heighten the risks of gender-based violence, including sexual violence, exploitation and exclusion from essential healthcare and protection services. CARE International is highlighting the urgent need to scale up prevention, surveillance and community-based response to save lives. CARE teams are working alongside the Ministry of Health, women-led organisations, healthcare workers and community members to build trust, strengthen awareness, support early identification of suspected cases, and provide vulnerable people with essential assistance. But the response is not keeping pace with growing needs; increased investment is urgently needed alongside guaranteed humanitarian access. As climate risks intensify, humanitarian and public health responses must also be better prepared to operate in communities that may become increasingly difficult to reach. “Investing now in local capacity, community preparedness and resilient health systems can help ensure that an Ebola response is not disrupted by the next climate-related shock. Acting now will save lives,” Alandu said. For media inquiries , please email ellis@careinternational.org or press.uk@careinternational.org
ReliefWeb•CARE12h ago
Heaviest toll expected in poorer countries, already struggling with food insecurity and high energy costs, report says.
Al Jazeera13h ago
There is hope in solar power. As the UN meets, we are urging leaders to pursue a clear goal: clean energy for all by 2030 Our message to global leaders: we need solar power everywhere by the decade’s end As climate experts from around the world gather in New York for their annual week of talking through the world’s deepest dilemma, the vibes are mostly bad. Though 2026 seems likely to set a new global temperature record (and 2027, as El Niño gathers steam, is almost certain to break it), and though the planet has careened from one climate disaster to another (European heatwaves that killed tens of thousands, a Nepali flood that wiped out entire communities), and though scientists warn that we’re reaching precisely the global tipping points they’ve long feared (the new research on the faltering great currents of the Atlantic should send a literal chill up your spine), there’s a distinct lack of political momentum. The path forward is difficult, but the way is clear. We want solar for everyone, everywhere, before the decade is out. We know that standing up to the powerful can be scary. But if there is one thing that unites us, it is that we live beneath the same sun. That unity is our strength, and we must use it to act now. Bill McKibben is the Schumann distinguished scholar at Middlebury College. He is the founder of Third Act, organizing people over 60 for progressive change Continue reading...
The Guardian•Bill McKibben14h ago
From drought to major floods and extreme heat, El Nino will have a huge impact on the world's weather. In the Atlantic, it could mean a season without hurricanes.
Deutsche Welle15h ago
A display of flowers has bloomed across Chile's Atacama Desert, one of the driest places on Earth, after the El Niño climate phenomenon brought heavy rain to the region.
