DURING intermittent rains, farmers are urged to store whatever water they can, as the effects of intensely warm weather is slowly starting to affect crops and water supply.
Provincial Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) information officer Julius Regner said they have started surveying barangays in the province to see how the lack of water is affecting their respective communities.
“Sa pagka-karon kay nasugdan na man namo og suroy ang mga barangay, daghan-daghan na gyud,” he said. “Ang sa north nga part sa Cebu, daghan na pud sila nga naglisod na og tubig. So ang among gihimo karon kay mura’g di pa man straight ang init, duna pa may uwan-uwan nga masinati nato, so if possible, makasawod gyud.”
(There are already some barangays in the northern towns suffering from lack of water. Because there are still intermittent rains, we are encouraging them to store water.)
Regner said water supply is starting to dwindle and some local government units are already doing water rationing especially in the upland areas.
He said maybe it is possible to harvest some crops even if it is a little early, to avoid complete loss due to the heat.
“If ever kadtong mga tanom nato, pwede na nato ma-harvest siguro og sayo-sayo but kanang dili premature, makakita pa sila sa ilang mga tanom, pwede na gyud nato na kwaon,” he said.
Heat is also beginning to be debilitating in the southern towns especially those along the coastal areas, and many people do not like to go out to work, Regner said.
Local disaster officers will be meeting to come up with plans on how to deal with the expected heat this month.
“Yes, ga-expect gyud ta ana,” he said. “Bisan pa og dili na mahitabo, at least as early as this time, maka-ready gyud ta.”