- La Nina is characterised by unusually cold ocean temperature in the equatorial Indian ocean whereas EI Nino is characterised by unusually warm ocean temperature in the equatorial Pacific Ocean.
- EI Nino has an adverse effect on the southwest monsoon of India, but La Nina has no effect on monsoon climate.
Which of the statements given above is/are correct?
(a) 1 only
(b) 2 only
(c) Both 1 and 2
(d) Neither 1 nor 2
Answer: (d)
Statement 1 is not correct: La Nina is a cold event. Here, the water temperature in the Eastern Pacific gets colder than normal. As a result of this, there is a strong high pressure over the eastern equatorial Pacific. Now, there is low pressure in the Western Pacific and off Asia. La Nina causes drought in Peru and Ecuador, heavy floods in rains in India. A La Nina is actually beneficial for the Indian monsoon.
Statement 2 is not correct: Since 1950, out of the 13 droughts that India faced, 10 have been during El Nino years and one in a La Nina year. El Nino means lesser than average rains for India. Indian agriculture is heavily dependent on the monsoons and because of this, lesser rainfall during the monsoons generally translates to below-average crop yields. Australia, high temperatures in Western Pacific, Indian Ocean, off the Somalian coast and good monsoon
