Seabirds, Silting and Salt: Early Photo Evidence of El Niño’s 2024 Impacts in the Pacific
In late March 2024, satellite and ground‑level photographs captured unusual wildlife and shoreline conditions along the Pacific coast of South America. The images document seabird die‑offs on the Galápagos, thick sediment layers in Peru’s river mouths, and salt crust formation on Chile’s Atacama salt flats. These early signs appear before the El Niño cycle reaches its peak, offering a preview of the environmental stress that could follow.
What the Photos Reveal
The visual record begins with a series of high‑resolution shots taken by NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory on March 22, 2024
Despite its reputation for causing extreme weather, a strong El Niño often suppresses Atlantic hurricane activity, leading to fewer storms in the Caribbean during its peak.
