This term, which in Spanish means "Christ Child," was originally used by Peruvian and Ecuadorian fishermen to describe a warm ocean current that typically appeared off the coasts of Peru and Ecuador around Christmas-time and lasted several months. During the strong El Nino years, the warm currents flow along the coast and cause major disruptions in fishing, because fish are less abundant in these warm waters than in the more normal, cold, nutrient rich upwelled waters along this part of the South American coast. During these strong El Ninos, torrential rains also cause major damage along the coast.

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