Context:

• Severe flooding has killed nearly 200 people in Kenya and Somalia as El Nino-induced rainfall continues to wreak havoc in East Africa.

Super El Niño Rain Sparks Deadly Floods in Kenya

• An unusually active El Nino rain has triggered severe flooding in Kenya which killed at least 90 people and displaced thousands. 

About El Nino:

• About: El Nino,  meaning “the little boy” in Spanish refers to an abnormal warming of surface waters in the equatorial Pacific Ocean. It is known to suppress monsoon rainfall.

• Time Period: It occurs on average every two to seven years, and episodes usually last nine to 12 months.  
• Formation: El Niño occurs when warm water builds up along the equator in the eastern Pacific region. The warm ocean surface warms the atmosphere, which allows moisture-rich air to rise and develop into rainstorms. 
• Impacts: El Niño events are typically associated with increased rainfall in parts of southern South America, the southern United States, the Horn of Africa, and central Asia. 
• In contrast, El Niño can also cause severe droughts in Australia, Indonesia, and parts of southern Asia.

For more information related to the Horn of Africa, refer to the Horn of Africa

Source: Down to Earth