PAGASA: Temperatures may reach 37oC

DUE TO PROGRESSING EL NIÑO

The state weather bureau has warned Cebuanos of temperatures jacking up to 37 degrees Celsius next month, yet the sweltering heat seems to be already taking its toll on some Cebu’s livestock this early.

The sudden deaths of two goats in two of Medellin’s barangays continue to puzzle agriculture officials who are now suspecting that the cases may be largely heat-driven. Ruben Noynay, officer-in-charge of Medellin Agriculture Office, confirmed that two goats died in Barangays Mahawak and Dalingding Sur two weeks ago, though they did not manifest any prior signs of sickness.

“We suspected nga tungod siguro sa kainit,” Noynay told reporters over the phone.

Louie Maestrado, chief of the Animal Health Division of the Provincial Veterinarian’s Office, told The FREEMAN that their validation and background checking on the cases showed that the animals were sheltered and given water supply to keep hydrated.

Maestrado believed that there might be “underlying causes” on the mortalities of the said animals, like severity of their sickness, only that they did not show obvious signs.

He, however, was not discounting the fact that the hot weather may have served as a contributing factor, and weakened the resistance of the animals.

MILD TO MODERATE Livestock and poultry owners should take precautionary measures for their animals, especially now that the Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration has warned that the mild El Niño that’s hitting the country may progress to a “moderate” one.

This is believed to prolong the low water supply in some areas as streams, rivers, groundwater reservoirs and other tributaries may dry up.

Yesterday, officials of Metropolitan Cebu Water District, PAGASA, Local Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council and City Agriculture Office, among others, convened in an emergency meeting to discuss measures to undertake during the dry spell.

PAGASA Visayas Director Oscar Tabada said there is a “huge” possibility that mild El Niño will become moderate and that Cebu will experience rainfall that is way below normal.

“May has been considered as the hottest month and the rest of the months are below normal ang rainfall, mao na nga dako gyud ang problema sa tubig,” he added.

However, Tabada clarified that this year’s temperature is not as worse as that which was recorded on May 31, 2010, the all-time hottest temperature ever in Cebu which reached 37 degrees.

El Niño, he said, would continue until August at 70 percent probability. There is a 60 percent chance that it would last until November, based on different international weather models.

Tabada said there is also a possibility that the dry spell will continue until next year and usher in what he dubbed as a “double El Niño,” similar to what was experienced in 1967-1968 and 1986-1987.

A double El Niño occurs when warm water gathers in the ocean two years in a row, leading not only to more than a few months of odd weather but also a likely new phase of climate change.

Tabada said if a storm will occur during El Niño, it would be a “strong and extreme” one.

STATE OF CALAMITY

In the meeting yesterday, the city disaster council recommended for the declaration of a state of calamity to utilize the city’s disaster funds.

Disaster chairman, Councilor David Tumulak, said he will author a resolution next week to place the city, particularly the upland barangays, under a state of calamity.

If the measure gets approved, the city may use P178 million worth of unexpended disaster funds for 2011, 2012 and 2013. Cebu City also has unused disaster budget for 2014 amounting to over P100 million and another P300 million for this year.

Mayor Michael Rama directed the MCWD to initiate the distribution of water to different barangays due to the worsening dry spell.

For its part, the MCWD assured that it will provide potable water through the city-owned or barangay truck tankers and by utilizing the remaining river flows as water reservoirs.

The MCWD has also promised that there’s enough water supply courtesy of the opening of their valve form north to south areas.

To replenish the lost water supply from Buhisan and Jaclupan dams which are now in critical levels, the MCWD is also planning to tap additional 6,000 cubic meters from its bulk-water source in Carmen town. Engineer Lasaro Salvacion, MCWD assistant general manager for operations, said this will be on top of the existing 18,000 cubic meters that they are contracted supply on a daily basis.