The climate phenomenon is raising the prospect of a historic event later this year, bringing heightened risks of extreme heat, flooding, and dry conditions to major tourist hubs. With the event predicted to be one of the worst on record, visitors to affected regions must prepare for significant logistical challenges.
Sri Lanka Drought Strains Hill Country Infrastructure
In Sri Lanka, a severe drought linked to El Nino has hit the Indian Ocean island, directly impacting the hill country where estate workers tend to famous tea bushes. This region, heavily reliant on both agriculture and eco-tourism, is facing critical resource shortages. Authorities have arranged water deliveries to nearly 72,000 people across seven districts. Water levels at hundreds of small tanks have dropped to about 10 percent, threatening local agriculture and tourism services.
Families are now expected to receive roughly 75 litres (20 gallons) of water every two to three days for drinking and sanitation. These supplies are being trucked in from parts of the country unaffected by the crisis. The government has allocated 4.8 billion rupees ($14m) from the national budget to fund this massive water distribution effort.
Minister of Environment Dammika Patabendi told reporters that while El Nino was expected to peak around November, officials now believe it will peak sooner. “We will revise and extend response measures as necessary,” Patabendi said. He noted that after September, year-end monsoons should bring heavy rain, though drought conditions could return at the beginning of next year, prolonging the disruption.
Indonesia Wildfires Blanket Borneo in Hazardous Smog
Meanwhile, Indonesia is fighting massive wildfires that have burned through more than 200,000 hectares (494,200 acres) since the start of the year—an area about three times the size of the sprawling capital, Jakarta. In July alone, fires destroyed 95,000 hectares (234,750 acres) of land as dry conditions driven by a powerful El Nino weather pattern took hold across the archipelago.
Thick smog caused by the flames is blanketing areas like Palangkaraya, the capital of Indonesia’s Central Kalimantan in Borneo, creating hazardous Borneo air quality. The mayor advised people to wear masks and stay indoors. Motorists who ventured out battled through a thick brown haze that severely reduced visibility on local roads.
Indonesia’s Forestry Minister Raja Juli Antoni said experts are on standby for cloud seeding operations to quell active fires and prevent future ones. “Should there be even the slightest trace of a cloud suitable for seeding, and provided it is technically feasible to seed it, we will carry out a weather modification operation,” Antoni told reporters in Palangkaraya on Wednesday.
Latin American Destinations Brace for Extreme Weather
The effects of El Nino are also disrupting travel and daily life in Latin America. The United States has announced it will send a military hospital to the coast of Peru next year to help the country cope with the weather phenomenon’s effects. This deployment underscores the severity of the expected health and infrastructure crises in the region.
In the Central American nation of Honduras, the government has placed 80 percent of the country on drought alert, including the capital. El Nino-related dry weather has burned harvests and caused livestock to die, threatening agricultural tourism and local economies that rely on steady rainfall.
What Happens Next
El Nino is a naturally occurring climate pattern driven by unusually warm sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific Ocean. It typically reshapes weather patterns across much of the world, bringing heightened risks of drought, flooding, extreme heat, and wildfires. Because this year’s event is predicted to be one of the worst on record, El Nino travel disruptions will likely intensify through the end of the year and into early next year.
Travelers planning trips to South Asia, Southeast Asia, or Latin America should closely monitor local weather advisories and government alerts. Visitors should prepare for sudden itinerary changes, pack emergency supplies like N95 masks for poor air quality, and carry water purification methods. As governments continue to revise disaster responses and deploy resources like military hospitals and cloud-seeding aircraft, tourists must follow local mandates strictly and build flexibility into their travel plans to navigate this historic climate event safely.
— Elena Petrov, climate desk, AXO News