El Niño intensifies, raising flood risk in Sri Lanka

The department said data from the Australian Bureau of Meteorology showed that sea surface temperatures in the central Pacific had risen to 2.81 degrees Celsius above average, exceeding the 2.76-degree peak recorded in 2016.

Sri Lanka experienced widespread flooding during the 2016 El Nino event, and authorities said rapid warming in the Pacific and Indian oceans could increase the risk of flooding and landslides in the months ahead.

The department said unstable atmospheric conditions were expected to bring widespread thundershowers, with some areas likely to receive more than 75 mm of rain.

The department said the country is already experiencing heavy rains and that water levels of several rivers are rising.

Earlier, Qazinform News Agency reported that a powerful El Niño event could lead to an estimated 451,000 additional heat-related deaths worldwide between June 2026 and February 2027.