Papua New Guinea faces severe food shortages as El Niño brings frost and drought

Papua New Guinea is experiencing severe food shortages due to El Niño-induced frost and drought conditions, impacting up to 3 million people nationwide. Oxfam has identified the nation as the most severely affected country in the Pacific region by this weather pattern. The prolonged dry spell and frost have devastated food gardens in the Highlands, which are crucial for both sustenance and income for numerous households. These effects, which have become apparent in recent weeks, are causing water levels to drop and threatening the food security of agriculturally vital areas. The situation highlights the vulnerability of communities reliant on agriculture to extreme weather events amplified by climate phenomena like El Niño.