The El Niño event that is developing over the Pacific Ocean is likely to be the strongest in living memory, the Met Office has warned.

An “unprecedented” El Niño weather event is looming with the weather phenomenon likely to be the strongest "in 500 or even 1,000 years", experts have warned.

China has already experienced weather patterns typical of the developing phase of an El Nino, as rainfall concentrated in two major belts stretching across the country's north and south.