After taking into consideration the prevailing weather conditions and the normal water supply, the City Disaster Risk Reduction Management Council (CDRRMC) chaired by Mayor John Dalipe has lifted the “state of calamity, under which Zamboanga City was placed at the height of the El Niño phenomenon.

The CDRRMC resolution lifting the state of calamity for El Niño, however, is still subject for the concurrence of the Sangguniang Panlungsod.

This, after the local weather agency PAGASA has declared that Zamboanga City has of late been experiencing rainfall conditions due to easterlies, cloudy skies and thunderstorms in Mindanao—a prelude to La Niña, which is expected to hit 55% of its strength between the months of August and September.

Weather Forecaster Rodel Inclan told the body that with all probabilities La Niña is slowly but surely setting in, therefore the city is out of the woods for the dry season of El Niño.

The Zamboanga City Water District, on the other hand, reported that the city’s water supply is now back to normal and at times even goes even above normal as a result of the incessant rains.

The ZCWD further said that Prime Water is now producing and processing 45 million liters per day in the west coast, while the Pasonanca water treatment plant is back to its pre-El Niño production level of 78.5mld.

The CDRRMC convened for its second quarter meeting Monday, July 8, with CDRRMO head Dr. Elmeir Apolinario presiding.-(Vic Larato)