Papua New Guinea faces drought and crop losses as El Niño intensifies

Water supplies are dwindling, crops are failing and food prices are climbing across Papua New Guinea, with the worst agricultural effects still expected months ahead. The excerpt links these warning signs to an El Niño that some climate watchers are calling a “Super El Niño”.

By Sarah JenkinsPublished 8 Oct 2026, 13:57 UTC

Explainer: background and context on a topic, based on cited sources.

Key facts

Pacific Ocean temperatures associated with this El Niño have already exceeded equivalent measurements during the historic 1997 and 2015 events.
Papua New Guinea is experiencing pressure on water sources, crops and food prices before the expected peak agricultural impacts.

Why it matters

The early damage to crops and water supplies, alongside rising food prices, points to mounting pressure ahead of the worst expected agricultural effects.

Reporting via UN News

Source: UN News — Read original story

Sarah Jenkins

Senior Staff Writer

Sarah covers breaking news, local politics, and community issues. She has been with the newsroom for five years and previously worked as an investigative reporter. She holds a degree in Journalism from Northwestern University.

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Papua New Guinea faces drought and crop losses as El Niño intensifies

Key facts

Why it matters

Sources

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