Minister Tells Brits to Stock Up on Supplies After 'Supersize' El Niño Warning

A senior British government official is urging people across the United Kingdom to stock up on food and water at home. Angela Eagle, the country's environment secretary, made the warning as scientists said this year's El Niño climate event could be the most powerful in at least 1,000 years. El Niño brings extreme weather — including floods, wildfires, and severe storms — to many parts of the world. The UK is expected to face a wet and stormy winter because of it.

Eagle told a major newspaper that people should prepare for national emergencies by keeping a small store of supplies at home. She said that people need to be 'a bit more resilient,' meaning ready to handle difficult situations on their own for a short time. The UK government is planning a campaign to remind households to stock tinned food and take other steps to stay safe. Officials say being prepared at home can make a big difference when emergencies happen.

El Niño is a natural climate pattern that starts in the Pacific Ocean. Changes in wind cause ocean temperatures to rise, which pushes huge amounts of heat into the atmosphere. Scientists measure how strong an El Niño is by how much warmer the ocean gets compared to the normal average. Any reading above 0.5 degrees Celsius above average counts as an El Niño event.

This year's El Niño is already extremely powerful. The most recent data shows the ocean at the center of the event is 2.6 degrees Celsius above the 30-year average. Scientists predict the temperature could reach about 4 degrees Celsius above average by November. That would be far higher than the previous record of 3.1 degrees, set in 2015.

Climate analyst Zeke Hausfather said records from coral reefs, tree rings, and old documents show no El Niño has ever been this strong in at least 1,000 years. Because the Earth is already warming due to climate change from fossil fuel pollution, this El Niño will make things even worse. Scientists believe the combination could make 2027 the hottest year ever recorded. The scale of this event has been described as 'truly mind-blowing.'

World leaders are paying close attention. António Guterres, the United Nations secretary general, said the planet is in 'uncharted waters, and those waters are heating up.' Celeste Saulo, head of the UN's World Meteorological Organization, warned that El Niño could deliver a 'massive blow to communities and economies across the world.' Both officials called for urgent action to protect people.

The effects of El Niño are already being felt around the globe. Wildfires in Indonesia have gotten worse, and important rains in India have weakened. Australia faces higher fire risk, while South America could see more intense flooding. The World Food Programme warned that the El Niño could push about 50 million people into serious hunger.

Eagle also announced steps the UK is taking to prepare for the future. She spoke from Havant Thicket, the site of the first new reservoir to be built in the UK since 1992. A reservoir is a large man-made lake used to store water. She said better water storage and changes to farming will help the country handle extreme weather more effectively.