El Niño threatens Mexican crops and Piura health, raising food and disease risks

A June‑August 2026 El Niño episode is projected to bring severe drought to northern Mexican states such as Baja California, Chihuahua, Coahuila, Durango, Nuevo León, San Luis Potosí, Sinaloa, Sonora, Tamaulipas and Zacatecas, while also causing heavy rains in central regions. The Mexican firm Startup Renaissance warned that reduced rainfall, extreme heat and water scarcity could cut crop yields, stress livestock and push up food prices, potentially adding up to 0.5% extra inflation in the second half of 2026.

In Peru’s Piura region, public‑health specialist Julio Barrena cautioned that the same El Niño conditions—limited potable water, high temperatures and compromised sanitation—could trigger a surge in acute diarrheal diseases, especially among children under five, the elderly and vulnerable households. The Ministry of Health reported 39,105 cases so far in 2026, and officials urged boiled or chlorinated water, hand‑washing and food safety measures to curb the outbreak.