El Niño drives haze warnings and water shortages across Southeast Asia

The Singapore Institute of International Affairs (SIIA) issued a red alert for a severe trans‑boundary haze episode that could affect Brunei, Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore from now until the end of 2026. The warning cites a strengthening El Niño event that is expected to intensify the region’s dry season, heightening the risk of forest fires and smoke that already blanketed parts of Singapore earlier this year.

In Vietnam, the city of Cần Thơ is maintaining 37 free water‑distribution points to help residents cope with prolonged heat, drought and the looming return of El Niño. The program, operating 24‑hours a day, has supplied over 2.1 million litres of water and supports more than 3,100 rural households, aiming to mitigate water‑scarcity challenges linked to the same climate pattern.