Washington, January 9 (RHC-teleSUR), -- One of Latin America's main concerns this year will be how to prepare for what could be the strongest El Niño phenomenon in history.

There is a 90 percent possibility that El Niño will linger until March, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOOA), and it could be the strongest one on record.

The weather phenomenon this year could be even more devastating than the one that hit the region in 1997-1998, which is recorded as the most powerful in history.

The effects caused by the 1998 El Niño claimed at least 900 lives around the world and caused over US$20 billion in damages.

One of the weather effects' main characteristics is high temperatures in both sea and air, higher tides and recurrent rains.