Several provinces may experience drought in the next three months as rainfall received by the country continues to significantly drop due to the weak El Niño event.
The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical, and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said nine provinces may experience drought and 41 provinces may experience dry spell by the end of March.
Dry spell is described by PAGASA as three consecutive months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions or two consecutive months of way below normal (more than 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions.
The 41 provinces (26 in Luzon, 10 in Visayas, and five in Mindanao) that will likely be affected by dry spell are Abra, Benguet, Kalinga, Apayao, Mountain Province, Pangasinan, Cagayan, Bataan, Nueva Ecija, Pampanga, Tarlac, Zambales, Metro Manila, Batangas, Cavite, Laguna, Quezon, Marinduque, Oriental Mindoro, Romblon, Albay, Camarines Norte, Camarines Sur, Catanduanes, Masbate, and Sorsogon.
Meanwhile, drought, which is a more severe dry condition, is defined as three consecutive months of way below normal (60 percent reduction from average) or five consecutive months of below normal (21 to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall condition.
Areas (five in Luzon and four in Mindanao) that may be affected by drought by the end of March are Ilocos Norte, Ilocos Sur, La Union, Occidental Mindoro, Palawan, Zamboanga del Sur, Zamboanga Sibugay, Maguindanao, and Sulu.
Likewise, 22 areas may observe dry condition or two consecutive months of below normal (21 percent to 60 percent reduction from average) rainfall conditions. These are Ifugao, Isabela, Nueva Vizcaya, Quirino, Bulacan, Aurora, Rizal, Guimaras, Negros Oriental, Bohol, Cebu, Siquijor, Southern Leyte, Bukidnon, Camiguin, Lanao del Norte, Misamis Oriental, Compostela Valley, Agusan del Norte, Agusan del Sur, Basilan, and Lanao del Sur. (Ellalyn de Vera-Ruiz)
