World's water cycle becoming more unpredictable, UN warns

World's water cycle becoming more unpredictable, UN warns

The cracked floor of a dried-up lake is seen in Polonnaruwa, Sri Lanka, on September 4, 2026. Around 8,000 to 8,500 acres of cultivated land have reportedly been damaged by the severe dry conditions affecting several parts of Sri Lanka.

The planet's water cycle is becoming increasingly erratic, swinging between too little and too much, the United Nations warned Thursday, with an unprecedented El Nino expected to exacerbate the long-term trend.