Adani News

Tag: Philippines

  • Ship carying 120 people catches fire off Philippines

    Ship carying 120 people catches fire off Philippines

    Manila: A ship carrying 120 people caught fire off the Philippine island of Bohol on Sunday and a coast guard vessel was deployed to rescue those onboard and try to extinguish the flames, coast guard officials said as quoted by media reports.

    Photos and video released by the Philippine Coast Guard showed flames and black smoke billowing from two decks at one end of the ship as coast guard personnel onboard another vessel used a water cannon to try to douse the fire, CNN reported.

    The coast guard told CNN that all 120 passengers and crew were removed safely from the ship. It said the fire had been extinguished and no injuries were suffered.

    The ship was travelling between the Philippine islands of Siquijor and Bohol when the fire broke out, according to the coast guard.

  • Philippines raises El Nino alert as dry spell starts in June

    Philippines raises El Nino alert as dry spell starts in June

    MANILA: The Philippine state weather bureau on Tuesday raised the El Nino alert, saying the dry season may occur from June to August this year and persist until the first quarter of 2024.

    “Recent conditions and model forecasts indicate the El Nino may emerge in the coming season (June-August) at 80 percent probability and may persist until the first quarter of 2024,” the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said.

    With this development, an El Nino alert is officially issued, Xinhua news agency reported citing the bureau as saying. El Nino is characterised by unusually warmer-than-average sea surface temperatures at the central and eastern equatorial Pacific.

    The bureau said El Nino increases the likelihood of below-normal rainfall conditions, which could have negative impacts such as dry spells and droughts in some areas of the Southeast Asian country.

    However, it added that “above-normal rainfall conditions during the southwest monsoon season may also be expected over the western part of the country”.

    PAGASA said it will closely monitor the phenomenon’s development. “All concerned government agencies and the general public are encouraged to keep monitoring and take precautionary measures against the impending impacts of El Nino,” the bureau said.

    –IANS