Zee Media Bureau
New Delhi: The El Nino weather pattern - the Spanish word for boy - is likely to return this year causing drought in some areas and flooding in others.
Australia`s Bureau of Meteorology and the US Climate Prediction Center have warned of increased chances that a strong El Nino will strike this year.
El Nino can cause flooding and heavy rains in the United States and South America and can trigger drought conditions in Southeast Asia and Australia.
Large parts of Australia`s east coast states have already been suffering from drought, damaging crops and livestock production in Queensland.
Talking about India, a strong El Nino could reduce monsoon rains that are key to its agriculture, curbing production.
An El Nino can be defined as a process in which the surface of the Pacific rises up, which may lead to warmer temperatures across the world. It is part of a cycle called the El Nino-Southern Oscillation.
(With Agency inputs)
