DAGUPAN CITY -- Pangasinan particularly Dagupan City experienced the hottest summer on record after a warm and dry season, with heat index registered at 55 degrees Celsius.
The extreme temperature described as ‘dangerous’ was registered at around 2 O’clock in the afternoon on May 1, before it subsided to four degrees lower at 51°C on the eve of 2022 National and local elections.
Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) has earlier warned people to be careful enough of the weather condition.
Recorded Heat index in different dates are as the following: May 2, 2022 ,48°C (Danger Category), April 29, 2022 , 49°C (Danger Category), April 28, 53°C (Extreme Danger Category), April 26, 2022 52°C (Extreme Danger Category), April 25, 2022 50°C (Danger Category), April 22, 2022 54.39°C (Extreme Danger Category) and April 1, 2022 52°C (Danger Category).
The hot weather already took its toll in April when the Dagupan City Police received information from Rommel De Vera, chief of barangay police in Brgy Pantal, Dagupan City, Pangasinan about the dead body of Ronald Baracas.
“Marami ang nahihilo at ang iba natrigger na rin ang kanilang high blood dahil sa sobrang init sa Dagupan City at ramdam sa buong Pangasinan,” said Joni De Vera of Buenlag, Calasiao.
Heat index is the measurement of how hot it really feels when relative humidity is factored in with the actual air temperature. It is higher by at least two to three degrees Celsius from the actual air temperature.
Authorities advise the public to avoid direct sunlight exposure from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m.
People must stay hydrated by drinking at least 10 glasses of water daily and avoiding intake of coffee, tea, soda, and alcohol.
Medical experts say signs of heat exhaustion may include warm and flushed skin, faintness, dizziness, weakness, headache, very high fever, rapid heartbeat, convulsion, and unconsciousness.
On May 9, election period, voters in Calasiao, Pangasinan complained of long queues as they waited for their turn to vote.
“Grabe ang haba ng pila at inabot na kami dito ng apat na oras para lang makaboto “ Leah Jeun, a first time voter here told Manila Bulletin.
Jeun stressed the difficulty of staying in the long queue with the extremely hot weather.
“Maaga na ako nandito, 6:00 a.m. pa lang pero hindi ako agad natapos at sobrang bagal,” lamented Jeun, referring to the supposedly quick conduct of the election.