1877–1878 El Niño event

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Meteorological event

Meteorological event

1877–1878 El Niño event
Meteorological history
Formed1877
Dissipated1878
Overall effects
Fatalities>50 million people

Areas affected

Asia, South America, North America

The 1877–1878 El Niño event was likely the strongest El Niño on record. It contributed to widespread drought and famine in multiple countries, causing the death of more than 50 million people. Disasters associated with it include the Great Famine of 1876–1878 in India, the Grande Seca in Brazil, and the Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879.

Development and strength

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Drought hitting many tropical and subtropical areas starting in 1875 and climatic events in the Indian and Atlantic oceans were related to the developing El Niño.[1][2] In North America, the winter was exceptionally mild and was known as the Year without a winter.[3][4][5][6]

The 1877-1878 event likely surpassed all modern El Niño events in intensity, although there is much uncertainty in the measurement, that prevents making that conclusion with certainty.[1][7][8]

The event led to a global famine that killed more than 50 million people, representing about 3-4 percent of the estimated global population, in Brazil, China, India, Africa, and other areas, including the Great Famine of 1876–1878 in India, the Grande Seca in Brazil, and the Northern Chinese Famine of 1876–1879.[2][1][9] According to Deepti Singh et al., it "was arguably the worst environmental disaster to ever befall humanity".[2][1][10] The impact was magnified by actions by colonialists and other socioeconomic and political issues in the 1870s.[7][11][12][9]

  1. 1 2 3 4 Noll, Ben (2026-05-12). "A super El Niño wiped out millions of people in 1877. Are we better prepared now?". The Washington Post. ISSN 0190-8286. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  2. 1 2 3 Singh, Deepti; Seager, Richard; Cook, Benjamin I.; Cane, Mark; Ting, Mingfang; Cook, Edward; Davis, Michael (2018-12-01). "Climate and the Global Famine of 1876–78". Journal of Climate. 31 (23): 9445–9467. doi:10.1175/JCLI-D-18-0159.1. ISSN 0894-8755. Archived from the original on 2026-05-21. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  3. ↑ "The Year Without a Winter: 1877-78". Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  4. ↑ Seeley, Mark (26 January 2024). "1878 El Niño saw crops planted in February". Farm Progress. Archived from the original on 2025-05-04. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  5. ↑ ""Spring Starts Early As US Winter Was Warmest On Record" | SEJ". Society of Environmental Journalists. 2024-03-11. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  6. ↑ Ochenski, George (2024-03-15). "Politicians ignore reality as the world burns around them • Daily Montanan". Daily Montanan. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  7. 1 2 Corp, Pelmorex (2026-05-22). "The Super El Niño that contributed to tens of millions of deaths". The Weather Network. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  8. ↑ Flis, Andrej (2026-05-07). "Atmospheric Code Red: 2026 Super El Niño Now Trending Toward Record-Breaking Intensity". Severe Weather Europe. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  9. 1 2 Oswald, Gary (2022-04-20). "Africa During the Scramble: The Years without Food". Sea Lion Press. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  10. ↑ "A horrific drought in the 1870s offers a warning for today". Yale Climate Connections. 2020-04-14. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  11. ↑ Harlan, Chico (2026-05-21). "A Powerful El Niño Is Forming. If History Is a Guide, It Could Hit Hard". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Retrieved 2026-05-27.
  12. ↑ Marshall, Michael (30 October 2018). "A freak 1870s climate event caused drought across three continents". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 2026-01-24. Retrieved 2026-05-27.