Over 347M children under threat due to El Niño, UNICEF says

( NewsNation ) — Millions of children around the world are facing the threat of one of the strongest El Niño events on record, according to UNICEF .

UNICEF reported that the unusual wet and dry conditions are expected to lead to extreme weather, including heavy flooding and severe droughts. As a result, the lives and health of over 347 million children in nearly 100 countries are under threat, the organization said.

“For children, El Niño is far more than a weather pattern,” said UNICEF Executive Director Catherine Russell. “It can mean increased displacement, malnutrition, water shortages and disease outbreaks.”

UNICEF reports children in Asia and the Pacific are likely to be the most affected, with around 190 children facing the threat. Around 41 million children are likely to be impacted in East and Southern Africa, and 41 million children in Latin America and the Caribbean.

In Europe and Central Asia, around 22 million children face the threat of El Niño. In the Middle East and Northern Africa, around 20 million children are expected to be impacted, as well as 20 million in West and Central Africa, according to UNICEF.

“Children are also at the risk of schools closing, while families could experience added financial hardship,” Russell said.

This is not the first time children have been at risk due to El Niño. According to the World Health Organization , the El Niño event of 2015-2016 impacted 60 million people across 23 countries.

Millions were forced to leave their homes searching for food, water and work after extreme weather heavily impacted their daily lives, Save the Children reported . At the time, around six million children were pushed into malnourishment.

This year’s El Niño can lead to drought and water scarcity, increasing the risk of displacement in places like Colombia, Fiji, Papua New Guinea and the Philippines, UNICEF said.

According to the organization, weather-related disasters have already displaced more than 20,000 children every day between 2016 and 2023.