MANILA, Philippines – Sixteen provinces were told to brace themselves for continued drought or dry spell conditions in May brought about by the prevailing El Niño phenomenon.
The Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said the weak El Niño episode would likely continue until the middle of the year and strengthen toward the end of the year.
In May, the drought will continue or intensify in 12 provinces, which will experience way below normal rainfall or more than 60 per cent less than the average rainfall they receive, according to PAGASA.
These are in Luzon: Albay, Bataan, Batangas, Cavite, Ilocos Norte and Pampanga; in the Visayas: Biliran, Cebu and Leyte; and in Mindanao: Misamis Occidental, Zamboanga del Norte and Zamboanga del Sur.
Meanwhile, four provinces, namely Camarines Norte, Catanduanes, Quezon and Romblon, will likely experience dry spell conditions, or below normal rainfall or 21 to 60 per cent less than the average rainfall they receive.
In April, with the onset of the dry season, 23 provinces experienced drought while 31 provinces experienced dry spell conditions, according to PAGASA.
The 23 provinces that experienced drought in April were in Luzon: Abra, Apayao, Benguet, Ifugao, Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, Kalinga, La Union, Mountain Province and Pampanga; in the Visayas: Bohol; and in Mindanao: Basilan, Lanao del Norte, Maguindanao, Misamis Occidental, Sarangani, South Cotabato, Sulu, Tawi-Tawi, Zamboanga del Norte, Zamboanga del Sur and Zamboanga Sibugay.
The 31 provinces that experienced dry spell in April were in Luzon: Albay, Bataan, Batanes, Batangas, Cavite, Masbate, Nueva Ecija, Rizal, Sorsogon and Tarlac; in the Visayas: Biliran, Cebu, Eastern Samar, Guimaras, Leyte, Negros Occidental, Negros Oriental, Northern Samar, Samar, Siquijor and Southern Leyte; in Mindanao: Agusan del Sur, Bukidnon, Compostela Valley, Davao del Norte, Davao Oriental, Lanao del Sur, Misamis Oriental, Sultan Kudarat and Surigao del Norte. SFM