Weather bureau PAGASA on Monday warned of hotter days ahead as the summer season officially starts and the El Ni?o phenomenon brings an earlier dry spell to the country. Nathaniel Cruz, PAGASA deputy administrator for operations and services, said recent temperatures recorded in Metro Manila showed that the region is slowly heating up. Metro Manila experienced its warmest day on Saturday after temperatures hit 35.8 degrees Celsius. It also reached a record 35.5 degrees Celsius last Wednesday. “There is a high possibility that we could experience a heatwave so we need to prepare for it. If the temperature hits 40 degrees in just one day, that is OK. But if it reaches 39 to 40 degrees and stays that way for up to 5 days, the effect is tremendous. Even if we don't reach 39 degrees but just 37 degrees in Metro Manila and it stays that way for 5 days, the effect is tremendous,” Cruz said in a radio dzMM interview. At least two people have died due to heatstroke over the weekend, an ANC report said Monday. The first fatality was a hypertensive government employee in Tuguegarao who died because of the intense heat while the second victim was a 16-year-old in Zarraga, Iloilo who collapsed while playing basketball. Cruz, meanwhile, said he expects temperatures in Metro Manila and the rest of the country to go higher, reaching its peak in the middle of summer from mid-April to May. He added that the hotter weather could continue until June if the rainy season is delayed. The PAGASA official said Metro Manila normally registers higher temperatures compared to nearby provinces such as Bulacan and Pampanga since it is considered an “urban heat island” with a lot of concrete structures. – ABS
