Pagasa sees dry spell persisting

The Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration said yesterday that because of reduced rainfall as a result of El Niño, the decreasing water level in Angat Dam is seen to continue.

Chris Perez, assistant weather services chief at Pagasa, said they’ve noted a very minimal decline in the dam’s water in the past 24 hours.

“But we expect the water level in Angat Dam and other water reservoirs to further reduce in the next days or weeks because of minimal rainfall in parts of the country, including Central Luzon,” Perez said.

He explained that unless a strong tropical cyclone enters the country, the decrease in water level is likely to continue.

About 98 percent of potable water in Metro Manila is supplied by Angat Dam through the Metropolitan Waterworks and Sewerage System.

Pagasa recorded a decline in Angat’s water by 0.14 meter on Wednesday and a drop of 0.13 meter on Tuesday.

Perez said parts of the country could experience dry spells with the strong effects of El Niño likely to be felt in the western sections of Luzon and the Visayas.

“In some cases, way below normal is possible,” Perez added. “Don’t expect to immediately see the effects when we say El Niño has ended.”

“That doesn’t mean it would rain right after the month of May, for example. Don’t be caught off guard, especially those sectors who are highly dependent on water supply,” he said.