AS THERE had been insufficient rainfall which should be due during the onset of the rainy season in the past two months, local residents in the province have been largely unaware that Ilocos Norte is now under the so-called “La Niña dry spell.” La Niña dry spell is due to eastern high pressure, said Department of Science and Technology (DOST) Usec Graciano P. Yumol who visited the province on July 30 to alert local officials and residents on the effects of this abnormal phenomenon. If rain won’t come by August, Yumol said local officials may have no other choice but to declare the entire province under a state of calamity. The absence of rain would gravely affect the provincial economy, particularly agriculture since most farmers here are rain-dependent. Yumol added that the science community has been doing all ways and means to inform the public of the ongoing dry spell so they could prepare for it and mitigate its effects to the entire community. He also revealed in the past two months, the DOST has already conducted cloud seeding operations just to produce artificial rains. Though the cloud seeding operation is costly—it amounts to more or less P3 million—the benefits are very worthy, the undersecretary said as he noted for every P3 million worth of artificial rain, we could also save at least P80 million from damages of the impact of drought to the community. Since the La Niña dry spell is the first in the country’s history, the DOST has advised everyone to be prepared and to their share, among which would be to conserve water and electricity to mitigate the effects of this weather phenomenon. Leilanie G. Adriano
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