A delayed monsoon, an emerging El Nino and the long shadow of India’s Great Famine
The article examines the potential impact of an emerging El Nino event on India's monsoon season, drawing historical parallels to the devastating Great Famine of 1876. It highlights current forecasts from the India Meteorological Department suggesting a rainfall deficit as the Pacific transitions toward El Nino conditions.
Why it matters
Understanding the correlation between climate patterns like El Nino and monsoon variability is critical for India's agricultural stability and food security.
The year was 1876. Monsoon failed, crops withered and one of the deadliest famines in Indian history began to unfold. Over the next two years, the Great Famine linked to a powerful El Nino event claimed an estimated 55 lakh to 82 lakh lives across the country. Nearly 150 years later, as scientists watch another potentially strong El Nino take shape in the Pacific, memories of that catastrophe are resurfacing as a reminder of how deeply shifts in the climate system can reshape life on land.
The article provides a factual, historical, and scientific overview of climate patterns without taking a political stance.
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