Child death toll mounts in Iran
On Qeshm Island, in Iran, a two-year-old child and their parents were killed yesterday after a US strike hit a residential building, say authorities there.
The strike injured another two children, UNICEF reported.
The agency’s acting director for the region, Abdul Fofana, says children in the region continue to be killed in places where they should be the safest, including in their homes and schools.
In the last five months, more than 4,000 children have reportedly been killed or injured across six countries involved in conflicts.
Just in Iran, 386 children were reported killed and 2,117 injured.
UNICEF is calling on all parties fighting in the Middle East to respect international law and protect children from further suffering.
Climate change worsens the effects of El Niño
Around the world, a strengthening El Niño weather pattern is expected to bring elevated temperatures and major shifts in rainfall, according to the UN’s World Meteorological Organization, or WMO.
El Niño is a periodic warming of the Pacific Ocean that occurs once every few years and affects weather across the globe.
The WMO says El Niño will likely become particularly strong between August and October. At the same time, the Indian Ocean is experiencing its own periodic climatic shift which could increase the risk of droughts, floods and wildfires in that area.
El Niño is expected to bring wet conditions to the Greater Horn of Africa, parts of Central Asia, southern Europe, western North America and southeastern South America.
Conversely, it will likely bring dry conditions to the Indian subcontinent, southern and eastern Australia, parts of Central America and the Caribbean, northwestern South America, and northern Europe.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres warns that El Niño is adding to already growing threats from climate change and reiterates that fossil fuel expansion must stop.
“Unless we act…the dangers will become deadlier still. The warm-up act is over. We cannot afford to wait for the main event,” the UN chief said.
Meanwhile, WMO Secretary-General Celeste Saulo says the forecasts provide governments and communities with a critical window to prepare before impacts unfold, stressing that timely climate information can help save lives and livelihoods.
WHO warns about the dangers of wildfire smoke
As wildfires continue to burn across Europe – destroying hundreds of thousands of hectares around Bordeaux and Madrid – the WHO warns the fires’ impacts extend far beyond the flames.
Smoke from wildfires can travel hundreds or even thousands of kilometres, exposing communities far from the fire to dangerous air pollution.
Exposure to it is especially dangerous for people with pre-existing health conditions such as asthma, chronic lung disease and heart disease.
The WHO says children and babies, older people, pregnant women, and some people with disabilities may be less able to cope with polluted air – while emergency responders and outdoor workers remain at heightened risk.
As climate change drives hotter and drier conditions, the risk of wildfires – and the health impacts of their smoke – is only increasing.
WHO says even if you can’t smell smoke, wildfires can change direction suddenly, so it’s important to follow health updates and advisories.
Isaiah Steinberg, UN News.
Source of original article: United Nations (news.un.org). Photo credit: UN. The content of this article does not necessarily reflect the views or opinion of Global Diaspora News (www.globaldiasporanews.com).
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