El Niño threatens severe floods and disease across East Africa and South Asia

UN aid chief Tom Fletcher warned that the rapidly intensifying El Niño could devastate vulnerable communities and called for early, flexible funding. More than $20 million from a central emergency fund has already been allocated for preventive actions in six countries.

The International Rescue Committee (IRC) said Kenya, Uganda, Somalia, Bangladesh, Pakistan and Afghanistan face heightened risk of flooding, drought, disease outbreaks and food shortages. In Somalia, 4.8 million people already need aid, and a repeat of the 2023 floods could threaten hundreds of thousands more. Kenya and Uganda have activated national disaster plans as forecasts show an 80‑82 % chance of El Niño persisting through the year.

In Bangladesh, landslides and flooding have killed at least 15 Rohingya refugees and displaced over 10 000 people in the Cox’s Bazar camps. Pakistan faces both drought and potential glacier‑melt floods, while Afghanistan is expected to see above‑average rainfall that could cause flooding. The World Bank warns rice yields could fall by up to 50 % in the hardest‑hit regions, worsening food insecurity for hundreds of millions.

IRC officials urged donors to fund anticipatory cash assistance now, arguing that early action is far cheaper and more humane than post‑disaster response.