24/7 Space News
WATER WORLD
Philippine settlement submerged by dam reappears due to drought
Philippine settlement submerged by dam reappears due to drought
By Pam CASTRO
Pantabangan, Philippines (AFP) April 26, 2024

A centuries-old settlement submerged by the construction of a dam in the northern Philippines in the 1970s has reappeared as water levels drop due to a drought affecting swathes of the country.

The ruins in the middle of Pantabangan Dam in Nueva Ecija province are a tourist draw, even as the region swelters in extreme heat.

Parts of a church, municipal hall marker and tombstones began to resurface in March after several months of "almost no rain", said Marlon Paladin, a supervising engineer for the National Irrigation Administration.

It is the sixth time the nearly 300-year-old settlement has resurfaced since the reservoir was created to provide irrigation water for local farmers and generate hydro-power.

"This is the longest time (it was visible) based on my experience," Paladin told AFP.

The reservoir's water level has fallen nearly 50 metres (164 feet) from its normal high level of 221 metres, figures from the state weather forecaster show.

The months of March, April and May are typically the hottest and driest in the archipelago nation, but conditions this year have been exacerbated by the El Nino weather phenomenon.

About half of the country's provinces, including Nueva Ecija, are officially in drought.

Tourists wanting a close-up of the ruins pay around 300 pesos ($5.00) to fishermen for a short boat ride out to the temporary island in the middle of the reservoir.

Nely Villena, who lives in Pantabangan municipality, regularly visits a viewing platform overlooking the dam to see the ruins.

"The view is better when the water level is low. If the water is too high... all I can see is water," Villena, 48, told AFP, as a strong wind whipped across the water, providing relief from the scorching heat.

- 'Badly need water' -

The actual air temperature in Nueva Ecija has reached around 37 degrees Celsius (99 degrees Fahrenheit) most days this week, with the heat index hovering above the "danger" level of 42C.

The heat index measures what a temperature feels like, taking into account humidity.

Hundreds of residents of the submerged villages and farms where the dam is located were moved by the government to higher ground.

Melanie Dela Cruz, 68, was a teenager when her family was forced to leave their home. This year she returned for the first time.

"I got emotional because I got to recall my old life there," Dela Cruz told AFP.

"My heart was overwhelmed because I studied there, I was even born there."

The receding water level forced two hydropower plants near the dam to stop operating earlier this month, ahead of the normal shutdown on May 1.

It also deprived many rice farmers of much-needed irrigation water, forcing some to switch to growing vegetables, which require less water.

Dela Cruz said she prays for rain even though it means her old home will again disappear from view.

"Our farmers badly need water for their fields," she said.

Related Links
Water News - Science, Technology and Politics

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters
Tweet

RELATED CONTENT
The following news reports may link to other Space Media Network websites.
WATER WORLD
Ecuador hit by power cuts of up to 13 hours amid drought
Quito (AFP) April 18, 2024
Parts of Ecuador were facing power cuts of up to 13 hours on Thursday amid an electricity crisis sparked by a drought that has left key hydroelectric reservoirs nearly depleted. A government decree ordering workers to stay home went largely ignored, with buses running as usual in the capital Quito, where traffic lights were out in some areas due to blackouts. The electricity crisis comes days before a key referendum on Sunday, in which Ecuadorans will decide whether to greenlight tougher measur ... read more

WATER WORLD
NASA announces new Stennis Space Center director

NASA and Boeing Prepare for Historic Starliner Launch

Neuraspace launches new tiers for enhanced space traffic management

China floats space tourists for station visits

WATER WORLD
SpaceX ties record with 20th Falcon 9 booster re-use in Galileo L12 launch

Private firm advances with new liquid-fuel rocket development

Spaceport Company and Maritime Launch Collaborate on Tracking Systems for Nova Scotia Spaceport

Ariane 6 prepares for inaugural launch from Europe's Spaceport

WATER WORLD
China aims to retrieve Martian soil samples by 2030

Hera mission plans Mars flyby en route to asteroid study

NASA Mars Analog Crew Approaches Mission Conclusion

Exploring methane mysteries on Mars: Curiosity Rover's new findings

WATER WORLD
Shenzhou XVIII astronauts enter space station

China outlines objectives for Shenzhou XVIII space mission

Scientific projects on China's space station yield significant results

China-Latin America and Caribbean States Space Cooperation Forum underway

WATER WORLD
SES's O3b mPOWER System Initiates Global High-Performance Connectivity Services

PLD Space secures 120 million euros to fuel its space missions

Weather models advance satellite tracking capabilities

ESA and EU Partner to Enhance Space Utilization for Earthly Benefits

WATER WORLD
Asterra debuts groundbreaking L-band SAR API for commercial use

Microsoft CEO pledges $1.7 bn AI, cloud investment in Indonesia

Production of minerals for clean energy is insufficient: UN

Exploring the Causes of Structural Failures Due to Buckling

WATER WORLD
Study traces bioluminescence back 540 million years in octocorals

Hidden biosphere discovered beneath world's driest hot desert

Astronomers propose new formation model for JuMBO free-floating planets

Tracing life's origins: Cambridge team explores early Earth conditions

WATER WORLD
Juno mission reveals volcanic landscapes on Io

Probing liquid water beyond Earth with advanced radar technology

Dating the Solar System's orbital changes with enstatite meteorites

Pluto's heart-shaped feature explained by international research team

Subscribe Free To Our Daily Newsletters




The content herein, unless otherwise known to be public domain, are Copyright 1995-2024 - Space Media Network. All websites are published in Australia and are solely subject to Australian law and governed by Fair Use principals for news reporting and research purposes. AFP, UPI and IANS news wire stories are copyright Agence France-Presse, United Press International and Indo-Asia News Service. ESA news reports are copyright European Space Agency. All NASA sourced material is public domain. Additional copyrights may apply in whole or part to other bona fide parties. All articles labeled "by Staff Writers" include reports supplied to Space Media Network by industry news wires, PR agencies, corporate press officers and the like. Such articles are individually curated and edited by Space Media Network staff on the basis of the report's information value to our industry and professional readership. Advertising does not imply endorsement, agreement or approval of any opinions, statements or information provided by Space Media Network on any Web page published or hosted by Space Media Network. General Data Protection Regulation (GDPR) Statement Our advertisers use various cookies and the like to deliver the best ad banner available at one time. All network advertising suppliers have GDPR policies (Legitimate Interest) that conform with EU regulations for data collection. By using our websites you consent to cookie based advertising. If you do not agree with this then you must stop using the websites from May 25, 2018. Privacy Statement. Additional information can be found here at About Us.