El Niño, a significant driver of global inter-annual climate variability, strongly influences rainfall-induced natural hazards. This study investigates the relationship between El Niño intensity and landslide impacts, utilizing new satellite rainfall data and a global landslide exposure model. The research reveals far-reaching effects of El Niño on landslide impacts to people and infrastructure, particularly in Southeast Asia and Latin America, where the influence can exceed that of seasonal rainfall variability. These findings enhance our understanding of global hazard variability and support improved disaster mitigation efforts.

Robert Emberson, Dalia Kirschbaum, Thomas Stanley