83% of Phl likely to experience drought in April

About 83 percent of the country, including Metro Manila, will likely experience drought by the end of April next year due to El Niño, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) warned the other day.

A nthony Lucero, officer-incharge of PAGASA’s climate impacts monitoring and prediction section, said sig- nificant reduction in rainfall is expected beginning this month until April next year over most parts of the country.

rought refers to three consecutive months of “way below normal” rainfall or less than 60 percent reduction from average rainfall.

Aside from Metro Manila, the other areas in Luzon that are likely to be hit by drought are Abra, Benguet, Ifugao, Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bataan, Bulacan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Aurora, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Rizal, Quezon, Marinduque, Occidental Mindoro, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Palawan, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes and Masbate.

In the Visayas, the areas that are expected to experience drought are Aklan, Antique, Capiz, Guimaras, Iloilo, Negros Occidental, Bohol, Negros Oriental, Siquijor, Eastern Samar, Northern Samar, Western Samar and Southern Leyte.

In Mindanao, the provinces likely to be hit by drought are Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Occidental, Misamis Oriental, Davao del Sur, South Cotabato, North Cotabato, Sultan Kudarat, Basilan, Maguindanao, Lanao del Sur, Sulu and Tawi-tawi.

Lucero said international climate prediction centers noted the further strengthening of El Niño conditions during the November-December-January season.

The El Niño episode is expected to last until May 2016, he said.

The National Economic and Development Authority had said the government would implement several measures, including cash-for-work programs, to mitigate the adverse effects of El Niño.

The weather bureau said the current El Niño could surpass the strength of the 1997-1998 drought, which caused P8.46billion damage to agriculture.