MANILA, Philippines - No, it's not yet rainy season. Summer is still here.
The government's weather bureau said rains experienced in Metro Manila and other parts of Luzon and Visayas for the past days were brought on by a low pressure area near Basco, Batanes.
Gener Quitlong, weather forecaster of the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), said rains in Mindanao were caused by the Intertropical Convergence Zone.
Quitlong said that as soon as the low pressure area dissipates, the scorching heat of summer, coupled with the effect of El Niño, will be felt again in Metro Manila.
He said PAGASA expects the rainy season to come second week of June.
Traffic was heavy and several commuters got stranded after floods hit several streets in Metro Manila due to heavy rains on Friday night.
La Niña
Meanwhile, Quitlong said PAGASA is expecting the onset of the La Niña phenomenon by September, which will continue to affect the country until December.
La Niña is the counterpart of El Niño as it brings more than the usual rain.
Quitlong said that once La Niña sets, the country should expect heavier rains during the last quarter of the year. He added that the phenomenon may invite more typhoons in the country.
He said at least 20 typhoons enter the country every year.
He said PAGASA will immediately issue advisories to the agriculture sector and the local government units once La Niña's onset becomes inevitable.
Quitlong said citizens, especially those living near mountain slopes and low-lying areas, to prepare for landslides and flashfloods during the La Niña's onslaught.
He said that this early, the Philippine Coast Guard has already started to prepare for the possible onset of La Niña.
He urged local government units and other concerned agencies to come up with measures on how to react to floods and landslides during the rainy season.
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