# El Niño-driven drought in Papua New Guinea called a ‘national crisis’ as rivers dry and farms fail

https://mins.news/en/item/121733

- The Guardian, 2026-10-30 01:45 UTC
- World
- Original: https://www.theguardian.com/world/2026/oct/30/png-el-nino-drought-papua-new-guinea

> An historic El Niño-driven drought has affected as many as 8 million people in Papua New Guinea, bringing food and water shortages, electricity blackouts, and closures or reduced hours at schools and health facilities. Rivers and family gardens have dried up, and some rural families are down to one meal a day. A coalition calls it a “national crisis” and says there is no coordinated plan to protect vulnerable communities.

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