MECHANISM
Wind Flow
Pattern
Ocean
Profile
Normal Condition
MECHANISM
El Niño Condition
Ocean
Profile
MECHANISM
La Niña Condition
Ocean
Profile
EFFECTS
EFFECTS
PRECIPITATION
Blue circles indicate that during El Niño there
was, on average, more rain than normal.
Red circles indicate drought
during El Niño.
Ecuador
Peru
EFFECTS
TEMPERATURE
Red circles denote locations that on average
are warmer during El Niño and cooler during
La Niña.
Blue circles are colder during El Niño and/or
warmer during La Niña. The size of the circles
is a measure of the strength of the
relationship.
WORLD CHANGING EFFECTS OF LA
NIÑA
Impact of El Nino by Region
IMPACT

In Australia, the impact event of El Niño has not been as strong
as anticipated.

In
Indonesia,
late-arriving
rains
delayed
the
normal
October/November rice planting and caused a reduction in rice
production potential.

In Malaysia, rainfall has been below normal but adequate for
rice production.

In Thailand, below normal rainfall has lowered water reserves
for the second rice crop.

In the Philippines, localized dryness has reduced corn and rice
yields.
IMPACT
In the Republic of South Africa, November/December
corn planting was delayed due to insufficient rainfall.
In Zimbabwe, a hot, dry December
 In Tanzania and Kenya, drought earlier in the crop year
In India past El Niño brought dry weather across northwest
India
 In the Central America the major El Niño impact is
nearly over as their rainy season has ended.
SEVERE DROUGHTS IN THE
PHILIPPINES
1982-1983
• drought damage to rice and corn cost more than P700 million
• 450,000 hectares of land were affected
• among the severely hit provinces were Central Luzon, Southern Tagalog, Northern Visayas
and Western Mindanao
1992-1993
• drought damage set back the agricultural sector by P4.1 billion
• 478,000 metric tons of corn were destroyed
• among the worst hit were South Cotabato, Isabela, Bukidnon, Maguindanao, North
Cotabato and Cagayan
1997-1998
• dry spell between June1997-1998; effects continued to be felt through September 1998
• El Niño struck as the country was enjoying a continuous four-year growth
• damage to agriculture amounted to P8.46 billion
• 16 regions were affected
MITIGATIO
N
El Niño
 early warnings
pre-emptive actions
- setting up disaster assistance for farmers
- issuing drought insurance
- making changes to tax and food import policies
- building up strategic food stocks
- encouraging shifts in planting patterns
planting of early maturing varieties of crops.
La Niña
 identification and mapping of areas that are prone to flood and vulnerable to
erosion and landslides.
 construction of 990 units of small farm reservoirs (SFRs) for harvesting
rainwater and surface runoff
MITIGATIO
N
Satellite
Recent technological advances have made it possible to monitor, diagnose, and
predict El Niño and La Niña events in near-real time. Some of the major technologies
used are:
MITIGATION
Super computers
Geophysical and Socio-economic settings have multi-dimensional influences on El
Niño and La Niña impacts. Therefore, it should be duly considered in conducting any sort of
impact study on El Niño and La Niña, and in undertaking any intervention to cope with
disaster problems.
There should be an adequate assessments about and monitoring of hazards,
disasters and vulnerabilities, so that the need for prevention is accurately identified and
disasters defined.
There is need for a clear and comprehensive national disaster policy, which will
address the total disaster management spectrum, including El Niño and La Niña
considerations of all aspects of preparedness. Within this policy, there must be a readiness on
the part of the government to institutionalize preventive measures.
The Government undertake the following initiatives:
To formulate a comprehensive plan for disaster management, disaster policy and disaster
actions at the earliest possible time.
 To design an appropriate and enforceable legal mechanism for dealing with all types of
natural disaster
 To develop appropriate technology and ensure the collection of relevant data on disaster
through the use of satellites and the introduction of a regular system of delivering
information to the public through television, radio and other mass media.
CONCLUSIONS &
RECOMMENDATIONS
Reporters
Navarro, Mary Joy