Heavy downpour, thunder hailed as blessing
THE sudden, unexpected heavy downpour overnight that started at past 7:00 p.m. was welcomed in Dagupan and Pangasinan as it brought relief to the three million people that suffered from unusually high heat index for days.
The rain was hailed as a blessing in Manaoag, Malasiqui and in many other areas where farm lands have started to dry up for lack of water and farmers desperate for water even if it resulted in flash floods.
Agriculture officials maintain the heavy rain was not a signal that the rainy season is already around the corner as the northwestern part of the country is still under a dry season spell that may yet last till May or June.
In Dagupan, the hours of heavy rains spawned flash floods in a few low-lying streets but this was only momentary as it soon disappeared when the downpour slowed down.
City residents regard the rain as very providential, saying that it came at a time when their energies were almost sapped by the high heat index being recorded in Dagupan daily.
The rain lasted till Friday morning, few hours before the streets of downtown Dagupan were closed to give way for street dancers of the Dagupan Bangus Festival’s “Gilon-gilon ed Dalan” starting at 3:00 p.m.
The PAGASA defines heat index as the heat being felt by a person while he is outside his home while the temperature is the one being felt by him while he is inside his shelter.
At one time during the week, Dagupan registered a heat index of 51.7 Celsius the highest ever recorded in the Philippines this year.
Two days later, it was down to 51.1 Celsius, still among the highest in the country. It was further down to 43.2 degrees Celsius. Then the down pour came.
PAGASA said the heat indexes from 41 degrees Celsius to 54 degrees Celsius are considered as very “dangerous.”
Fortunately, no one yet was admitted to any government and private hospital and clinic suffering from heat stroke, asthma and other ailments caused by excessive heat, according to the Provincial Health Office. (Leonardo Micua)
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