El Niño has passed peak strength but impacts will continue, UN warns

Current climate event is still strong but it is too early to say whether it will be most powerful on record, says World Meteorological Organisation

The El Nino that caused record temperatures, drought and floods over the last year has passed its peak strength but will continue to have humanitarian impacts for months to come, the UN has said.

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) said the event, which plays havoc with weather systems around the world, was still strong and its impacts on communities in southern Africa, the Horn of Africa and Central America were becoming increasingly apparent.