PHNOM PENH, Oct. 13 (Xinhua) -- Approximately 1.3 million children in Cambodia are at risk of severe climate-related impacts driven by an unusually intense El Nino cycle, the United Nations Children's Fund (UNICEF) warned in a news release on Tuesday.
Across the broader Asia-Pacific region, the natural climate phenomenon threatens an estimated 190 million children, the news release said, adding that it could severely worsen conditions for families already struggling with conflict, economic hardship, and prior climate shocks.
"For Cambodian families, the phenomenon could lead to shortages of water for daily use and agriculture, putting pressure on household incomes while disrupting children's education and access to healthcare," the news release said.
A recent assessment highlighted the scale of the vulnerability, revealing that more than 3,872 schools and 401 health centers, roughly one-third of all such facilities across the Southeast Asian nation, are highly vulnerable to natural disasters like severe droughts and floods.
Forecasters predict the 2026-2027 El Nino cycle will be significantly stronger than usual, the news release said.
Driven by warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures in the Pacific Ocean, the phenomenon alters global rainfall and temperature patterns, it said, adding that while it triggers extreme heat and drought in some regions, it unleashes heavy rainfall and flash flooding in others.
In an official message marking National Disaster Management Day on Tuesday, Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Manet has urged relevant authorities to treat disaster management as a core priority, calling for a significant strengthening of human and material resources to combat rising climate change risks.
"Climate change, rapid urbanization, and environmental degradation pose serious threats to sustainable social and economic development," he said. ■