El Nino threaten south-east Asia

Darwin, Australia: El Nino weather conditions, which can bring drought to Asia and cause flooding in South America, have returned, threatening crops and livestock production across most of south-east Asia, an Australian weather forecaster said.

Parts of Australia, Indonesia and Malaysia may get as little as a 10th of their average rainfall in the next three months, the Queensland government said on its website. That may cut output of palm oil in Malaysia and Indonesia, source of four-fifths of world supply, and grain in Australia, the No 2 wheat exporter.