El Nino brings hot sun from Asia to Europe

Many areas in Asia, such as India and Pakistan, are hit by a record heat wave of more than 45 degrees Celsius, while Europe has to deal with heat waves of up to 44 degrees C.

El Nino spread to Europe

According to the Straits Times, the heat wave in Pakisan recently left more than 1,000 people dead, 14,000 hospitalized. Previously, the heat in India killed 2,500 people.

Pakistani people gather around broken water pipes to avoid heat.(Photo: EPA)

Meanwhile, in Singapore, people were sweating under the 34 degree Celsius temperature. Northern Vietnam also suffered from prolonged heat waves, with temperatures above 40 degrees Celsius in recent days.

In Malaysia , the meteorological agency is waiting for the government to allow spraying of artificial rain seed, hoping to fill the dry reservoirs. In Indonesia , officials always set the highest level of forest fire warning, when the weather is in the dry season.

Meanwhile in Europe , 43 out of 50 provinces in Spain are subject to orange warning levels, the second highest among four levels of European meteorological alert. In the city of Seville, people climbed into the fountains, jumped into the river to avoid heat, when the outdoor temperature reached 42 degrees Celsius.

As for Paris , the temperature is expected to reach 37 degrees Celsius , most areas in France are in orange alert. Officials warned that pedestrians should travel in air-conditioned public areas such as movie theaters or shopping centers. Perhaps France still remembers the horrific memory of the heat wave of 2003, killing 70,000 Europeans, including 14,000 French.

West America , Oregon state, Washington and Idaho are also suffering from record high temperatures, many large wildfires have occurred.

Global warming due to climate change is one of the factors that increase the heat waves in recent years. In the next few months, when El Nino is more active, combined with prolonged drought in Asia and flooding in South America, world food production will decline sharply.

According to Wall Street Journal, the US, Australian and Japanese governments confirmed that El Nino is returning after severely affecting the 2009-2010 crop. The temperature of the eastern Pacific Ocean has increased by 4%.

El Nino occurs when the wind in the equatorial Pacific region slows or changes direction, causing water to warm up over a large area, changing the global weather pattern. It reduces rainfall in Australia and throughout Southeast and South Asia, leading to fears of a decline in world food production.

The impact of El Nino on agricultural production in the world.(Graphics: WSJ)

22 of Thailand 's 76 provinces are suffering from severe drought. The government asked rice farmers along the Chao Phraya basin to temporarily stop cultivating rice, until it rains.

El Nino causes drought on the grain growing belt east of Australia, the world's leading wheat exporter. It is expected that wheat prices will increase sharply, while output will decline.

Two Robusta coffee producers, Indonesia and Vietnam, are suffering from a prolonged drought. Indonesia's coffee production is expected to decline by 15%. However, Brazil, which produces Arabica beans, benefits, as the weather heats up.

India is the second largest source of sugar in the world. This year, El Nino is expected to reduce sugarcane production in India. In 2009, El Nino once caused a severe drought, pushing world sugar prices to the highest level within 30 years.