Less than a week before the start of the 2016 Dakar Rally, bad news looms over the competition. And if Dakar moved from Africa because of armed threats and war, the South American ground also has something to make this grueling rally even harder, but this time it's El Nino.

The El Nino phenomenon threatens the first stage of the 2016 Dakar. Heavy rains are falling in the Rosario area, the place where the competition is supposed to start.

On January 2, the Prolog held near the Argentinian capital Buenos Aires will establish the starting order for the bikes. The riders will race north towards Rosario and then spend their first night in the bivouac, preparing for Stage 1 that starts at Villa Carlos Paz.

The city of Rosario is on the banks of the Parana river, and meteorologists say that the water has already risen to alert levels. In Argentina, the floods have already caused three deaths and led to the evacuation of more than 20,000 people in certain areas.

Bolivia is also in trouble because of El Nino

The inclement weather may affect the Dakar rally to a level that is yet impossible to predict. The area where the route is supposed to cross the border to Bolivia is also confronting severe meteorological phenomena. The Dakar organizers are keeping an eye on the forecasts and are constantly evaluating the chances the teams have of meeting the timetables and the established locations.

This year, the forecast for El Nino was gloomy, as the phenomenon was said to be more violent than before. Chile was crossed off the Dakar hosts lists because of massive floods and mudslides in the northern regions of the country.

Peru was then chosen as a replacement, with the capital Lima intended as the starting point of the race. Still, the negative forecast caused the Peruvian authorities to withdraw from the Dakar, opting for being able to provide a quick response in helping the population if needed.

Dakar 2016: El Nino Puts the First Stage at Risk