Monday, November 13, 2006
Weather bureau warns vs El Niño
By Danilo V. Adorador III
NORTHERN Mindanao should brace for the El Niño phenomenon, whose effects can already be felt as early as December, officials from weather and disaster agencies said.
El Niño is an abnormal weather condition associated with minimal rainfall that leads to drought.
The decrease in normal rainfall patterns throughout the country -- an indication of a developing El Niño phenomenon -- has been observed since August, said Bong Paeso of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa).
El Niño becomes more apparent when it affects the normally cold, rainy December, Paeso said, adding this will normally be followed with a long, dry spell to last until the early part of 2007.
In connection with this, Salvador Estudillo, head of the Office Civil Defense (OCD) in Northern Mindanao, urged local government units (LGUs) to implement contingency plans to mitigate the impact of a possible drought.
"There are already El Niño semblances starting the middle of the year and these can't be ignored," Estudillo said. "We must prepare for it this early."
The specter of an El Niño phenomenon has brought serious concerns from small farmers since they don't have the resources to supply enough water to maintain their crops, Estudillo said, noting that in the previous years, El Niño has severely devastated the agricultural sectors in the country.
Northern Mindanao has "too much to lose" in case of a severe drought, he pointed out, noting that the region is a producer of agricultural products.
One of the cheap alternatives for this problem, however, is the construction of deep-wheels with the assistance of the LGU, the OCD official said.
"Deep-wheels constructed near farmlands would be a very good help to maintain water supply and for the crops to survive until the dry season is over."
Pagasa, however, said it was still monitoring El Niño conditions to determine whether the early weather indications would lead to a full-blown El Niño.
Nevertheless, the weather agency is advising LGUs and other government agencies to "take appropriate measures to mitigate potential adverse impacts to various sectors of the society."
For more Philippine news, visit Sun.Star Manila. (November 13, 2006 issue)
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