Super El Niño threatens floods in Uganda, drought in India and power shortages in Colombia
A looming Super El Niño is expected to bring severe flooding to Kampala, extreme heat to Karnataka's coffee farms, and electricity strain in Ibagué.
Ugandan shop owners in Kampala's Sekazinga passage describe how recent rains have inundated their premises, with makeshift cement barriers offering only limited protection and municipal drainage projects stalled amid alleged corruption. In Karnataka, coffee grower Avin H. M. notes record heat above 37 °C, a surge in the white coffee borer beetle and a monsoon deficit that has cut rainfall by a substantial margin, prompting him to plant shade trees and add irrigation to preserve yields.
Colombian coffee producer Café 100 Años in Ibagué faces dwindling water in its hydro reservoirs, leading the firm to install solar panels that currently serve only its own consumption and have not generated surplus electricity. Across the three regions, officials warn that the Super El Niño could intensify these climate stresses through the coming months into early 2027.
Why it matters
The forecasted Super El Niño could worsen floods, droughts and energy shortages, affecting livelihoods in multiple continents.
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