CONTRASTING ENVIRONMENTS: WET AND DRY

WET

 Continuous Downpour In South Phillipine Killed 20 People In July

Floods and landslides caused by the continuous heavy downpour in southern Philippines have killed 20 people in July, the country's disaster relief agency reported Thursday.

The National Disaster Coordinating Council recorded the casualties in five provinces in Muslim Mindanao from July 4 to July 31 when the usual southwest monsoon was strengthened by tropical storms, China's Xinhua news agency reported.

About 86,910 families were affected, among whom 4,275 had been evacuated from their homes, the agency said.

While flooding hit about 200 villages, two landslides occurred in Maguindanao province and along a major road linking the Cotabato city to Marawi city, toppling electric posts and jamming traffic.

Every year, 20 tropical storms strike the Philippine archipelago on average and some of them become so deadly as a result of human errors -- including inadequate safety precaution, mismanagement and a lag in rescue efforts.

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DRY

Shortage Of Water Supply, Sarawak Starts Rationing

Sarawak is imposing water rationing in some parts of the state due to supply shortage caused by weeks of drought.

 "The area around the town of Sarikei is the hardest hit where the raw water from the Gerugul Dam is depleting. A dry spell for another two weeks will adversely affect thousands of residents in the Sarikei Division.

"The notice on the water rationing times in Sarikei will be issued tomorrow in order to conserve water,"

"The prolonged drought has caused the water level in Sungai Sarawak Kiri, from where the Kuching Water Board draws its raw water, to drop to a low level.

"I appeal to consumers not to waste water, otherwise the authorities will have to impose water rationing,"

Deputy Chief Minister Tan Sri Dr George Chan