United Nations, Aug 1 : UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres called for action to deal with extreme heat caused by El Nino.

The UN chief made the appeal at a press encounter on Friday, citing an update on El Nino forecasts released by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO).

According to the new forecasts, this summer's extremes -- record-shattering heat domes, apocalyptic wildfires, thousands of lives lost in scorching conditions, record-high global sea-surface temperatures -- are only a warm-up act, said Guterres.

El Nino is strengthening, adding fuel to a planet already on fire. The Pacific waters driving the phenomenon have never been this warm this early in an El Nino and temperatures are still rising, he said. "At the same time, WMO's outlook shows that through October, nearly every land area on Earth is expected to be hotter than normal."

El Nino does not bring heat alone; it profoundly affects the world's rainfall. India's monsoon is already running well below average. Hotter and drier conditions are forecast from Central America and the Caribbean to parts of South America, South Asia, the Southwest Pacific, Europe and Africa, warned Guterres, Xinhua news agency reported.

"The verdict is clear: the climate crisis is in overdrive," he said.

The UN chief called for action on four fronts: protect people before heat becomes deadlier, make work safer, build and retrofit for the coming heat, and stop fueling the climate crisis.

Extreme heat is a society-wide threat that demands a government-wide response. Every city and country should have heat-health action plans, early warning systems and public health measures that reach every community in time. And access to sustainable cooling must expand urgently and equitably, he said.

Governments and employers must set heat standards, adjust working hours, and protect incomes when work must stop. Protection from extreme heat must be designed into cities, homes, schools and hospitals, and factored into every plan and public budget, he said.

Guterres warned that every new fossil fuel project approved today makes tomorrow's heatwaves more dangerous, and the world less secure.

"Today's findings show that extreme heat is not a future threat. It is here. It is becoming more dangerous. And unless we act -- to protect people and tackle the root cause of the crisis -- it will become deadlier still," he said. "The warm-up act is over. We cannot afford to wait for the main event."

/IANS