California declares state of emergency as El Nino arrives

The governor of California declared a state of emergency on Monday in the face of the arrival of the El Nino weather phenomenon on the American west coast, which promises to be devastating. The region could be hit by severe and destructive storms, with a risk of high tides that could cause flooding, according to forecasts.

“This measure aims to provide communities with the support they need, empower officials to accomplish their mission, and reassure families that their state is ready,” said California Governor Gavin Newsom. This procedural intervention aims, for example, to provide flood control equipment, such as sandbags and pumps.

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It also allows the California National Guard to prepare to mount search, rescue, engineering and logistics operations, authorities said. Synonymous with droughts, floods and record temperatures around the world, the El Nino phenomenon is a natural variation in climate that occurs every two years.

The most powerful phenomenon ever recorded

It continued to strengthen in August and now has a 75% chance of becoming the strongest on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). In the past, El Nino has caused or intensified droughts and fire risks in parts of the Amazon, Central America, Indonesia and Australia, monsoon disruptions in India or torrential rains in eastern Africa.

This phenomenon adds to the consequences of climate change caused by human activities, notably boosting extreme weather events. In the year following El Nino, heat stored in the ocean is released into the atmosphere, generally contributing to rising global temperatures. Many climatologists therefore predict that 2027 will be the hottest year on record.