Brace for El Niño, DA, SRA urged

MANILA, Philippines — The Department of Agriculture (DA), Sugar Regulatory Administration (SRA) and the provincial government of Negros Occidental have been asked to be ready to conduct cloud seeding operations to cushion the effects of the dry season and the expected El Niño.

Rep. Emilio Yulo II of the fifth district of Negros Occidental said that extreme heat and the dry spell would affect the agriculture sector, noting the sugar industry is in the middle of planting and cultivation season.

Yulo appealed to the DA, SRA and the provincial government to come up with a plan and prepare for cloud seeding.

He said efforts are being done to ensure the sugar industry could increase productivity following low output in the last cropping season.

The Office of the Provincial Agriculturist is also monitoring water supply for irrigation of rice fields and other crops in Negros Occidental.

Provincial Agriculturist Edmundo Causing said that rainwater is usually used to irrigate the rice fields.

Causing advised farmers to temporarily switch to drought-resistant crops.

Heat index

Meanwhile, days after heavy downpour spawned by Tropical Depression Amang submerged several areas in Bicol, a heat index of at least 44 degrees Celsius was logged in Albay on Saturday, according to the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

PAGASA said the 44 degrees Celsius heat index was recorded in Albay‘s capital Legazpi City at 1 p.m. after the highest temperature was documented at 33.4 degrees Celsius.

Aside from Legazpi, other areas that logged high heat indexes on the same day were Masbate City in Masbate and Zamboanga City in Zamboanga del Sur, both with 42 degrees Celsius.

State weather forecasters said the town of Maasin in Southern Leyte and the city of Borongan in Eastern Samar in Eastern Visayas registered heat indexes of 41 and 40 degrees Celsius, respectively, which were classified as high.

Data shows the highest heat index recorded from March 1 to April 15 was 47 degrees Celsius, logged in Butuan City in Agusan del Norte and San Jose, Occidental Mindoro on March 24 and 25, respectively.

Other areas that posted highest heat indexes were Maasin in Southern Leyte and Roxas City in Capiz, both with 43 degrees Celsius on March 25 and 30, respectively.

The weather bureau defines heat index as the degree of heat felt by the human body when relative humidity is combined with air temperature.

PAGASA warned that continued exposure to a heat index ranging from 42 to 52 degrees Celsius could cause a stroke.

It advised the public to limit staying outdoors, drink plenty of water and avoid tea, coffee, soda and liquor.

PAGASA officially declared the start of the warm and dry season on March 21. — Bella Cariaso