A supersized El Niño and human-driven climate change may prove a lethal combination

Scientists say a “Godzilla-level” El Niño, which occurs every two to seven years, may be the strongest in at least a millennium; Pacific temperatures already exceed prior records with peak still ahead. The World Food Programme warns 50 million people face acute hunger, and researchers estimate El Niño heat alone could kill 450,000 by February in Nigeria, Indonesia and the US, beyond deaths from droughts, floods and wildfires. Next year is almost certain to be the hottest on record globally.