El Niño 2023-24: Latin America & the Caribbean

Between June 2023 and March 2024, rainfall patterns have alternated between below and above-average patterns in the region. Central America and northern parts of South America experienced dry conditions and below-average rainfall from June to September 2023. Since November 2023, El Niño has exacerbated heavy rainfall, flooding and landslides across South America. While El Niño conditions appear to be subsiding, the impacts of El Niño-induced events will continue to be felt throughout 2024, particularly for affected communities who rely on agriculture for food, income and employment.
DROUGHT: High temperatures along with erratic, delayed and insufficient rainfall worsened drought conditions in Bolivia, Colombia, El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, Nicaragua, Peru and Venezuela in 2023, leading to agricultural losses and severe impacts on livelihoods, affecting at least 1.3 million people by November 2023.
FLOODING: Heavy rains have led to flooding and landslides across South America, resulting in casualties, displacements, loss of livelihoods and infrastructure damage. Bolivia alone estimates more than 500,000 people have been affected by severe rains since November 2023. Since late April, historic floods, exacerbated by El Niño and other climate conditions, have been devastating southern Brazil.
DENGUE: Dry, warm conditions and an increase in stagnant water contribute to the transmission of water- and vector-borne diseases. In 2023, the region saw a record 4.5 million cases of dengue. As of epidemiological week 13 in 2024, there have already been 4.8 million reported dengue cases, surpassing the total number of cases reported in the entirety of 2023.
FOOD SECURITY: High temperatures and irregular and insufficient rainfall have led to agriculture losses, deepening food insecurity, particularly in the Dry Corridor in Central America. Due to a lack of household food stocks and high households debts, the worst-affected families are at risk of deteriorating from Stressed (IPC Phase 2) levels of food insecurity into Crisis (IPC Phase 3) levels. (OCHA, 15 May 2024)