El Nino makes trouble for broad areas of China, may hurt rice farmers

El Nino, a periodic event that involves warming currents in the Pacific Ocean, is to blame for the unusually wet winter in southern parts of China and has been responsible for air pollution retained in areas of the north, experts said.

Since June, the area with rising temperatures in the central and eastern Pacific near the equator has expanded, the National Climate Center said.

Though weak, El Nino has still resulted in a marked effect on tropical and subtropical regions. The center's forecast model shows that the event will last until spring and will facilitate the movement of water vapor to eastern parts of China, a media release said on Tuesday.