ITCZ brings heavy rains to Cebu

AN intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ) will likely continue to bring heavy rains to Cebu until the weekend, the state weather bureau said.

Al Quiblat, Philippine Atmospheric Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) Mactan Cebu chief, said heavy rains yesterday affected southern Cebu most.

The rains caused flooding in a portion of Talisay City and parts of Minglanilla town, including the grounds and parking space at the Minglanilla District Hospital.

Based on the rain gauge, only 56.7 mm of rain have been dumped in Cebu as of yesterday, still below the normal average rainfall of 100.6 mm for May.

Meanwhile, cloud-seeding operations have not resumed in Cebu because of the lack of an aircraft, Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office spokesman Julius Regner said.

He said Pagasa Manila personnel arrived in Cebu last week to conduct cloud seeding, which was scheduled for May 18 until June 2.

“Niuli na lang ang mga personnel from Pagasa Manila kay tungod wala nadayon ang cloud seeding (Pagasa Manila personnel have gone home because the cloud seeding operations did not push through),” he said.

Regner said they have not been informed of a new schedule for cloud seeding.

Pagasa Visayas director Oscar Tabada earlier said they were going to conduct cloud seeding despite the onset of the rainy season because the amount of rainfall was still below the normal level due to the El Niño phenomenon.

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