‘Local’ El Niño

A freak warming of the Pacific just off South America has triggered record storms across parts of Peru, resulting in landslides and floods responsible for sweeping away people and ravaging crops.

Up to 10 times the normal rainfall has brought disasters that killed at least 62 people.

Officials say they have never before seen such a “local” El Niño. The weather-altering warming typically becomes established in the middle of the tropical Pacific basin before affecting Peru.