10 provinces now experiencing drought as El Nino intensifies

A total of 10 provinces in the country are now officially experiencing drought season following the onset of El Nino in April this year.

This includes the nations capital and 9 other provinces in the Highlands and parts of Southern region.

The National Weather Office is also monitoring another eight provinces in the Momase and New Guinea Islands regions.

The El Nino Southern Oscillation or ENSO is a climate variability, where there’ll be periods of dry and wet seasons, but eventually end with drought.

The El Nino period which is just starting now, is expected to mature between October – December.

It’s expected to last on average between 9-18 months.

In an interview with NBC News, Director National Weather Service Jimmy Gomoga predicts, the phenomenon could ease early next early.

Weather Service predicts that the Highlands region will be hit twice as much during this period, with frost and drought.

El Nino was first declared for the country in 2023, with warnings that it was a slow onset weather event, and calls made for preparations towards mitigation.