El Nino making a comeback

El Nino, the weather phenomenon that killed thousands on its last appearance, is returning in weakened form.

UN meteorologists have seen some indication of El Nino in recent weeks.

The last El Nino occurrence in 1997 caused fatal storms, heat waves, fires, floods and drought as well as billions in property damage.

Michael Coughlan, director of the World Meteorological Organisation’s climate programme says: "This coming event is nowhere near on that scale.

"However, that doesn’t preclude individual events which could b damaging."

In a typical El Nino, rains increase in Latin America and decrease in Indonesia and northern Australia.

The phenomenon can affect weather across the globe.