<P> A timeline of all the El Niño episodes between 1900 and 2016 . </P> <P> El Niño events are thought to have been occurring for thousands of years . For example, it is thought that El Niño affected the Inca Empire in modern - day Peru, who sacrificed humans in order to try and prevent the rains . </P> <P> It is thought that there have been at least 30 El Niño events since 1900, with the 1982 - 83, 1997--98 and 2014--16 events among the strongest on record . Since 2000, El Niño events have been observed in 2002--03, 2004--05, 2006--07, 2009--10 and 2014--16 . </P> <P> Major ENSO events were recorded in the years 1790--93, 1828, 1876--78, 1891, 1925--26, 1972--73, 1982--83, 1997--98, and 2014--16 . </P>

When did the most recent el niño occur