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Heatwave in Philippines reveals 300-year-old submerged settlement as water levels drop
After an extended period of intense heat and scarce rainfall, water levels at Pantabangan Dam in the northern Philippines have receded, uncovering a nearly 300-year-old submerged settlement.
The area, which includes remnants of a church, tombstones, and a municipal hall marker, resurfaced in March, according to Marlon Paladin, a supervising engineer for the National Irrigation Administration.
According to reports, the settlement was intentionally flooded when the dam was built in the 1970s, and its reappearance is a consequence of the ongoing drought affecting roughly half of the country's provinces.
The falling water levels at the Pantabangan Dam, which is the main irrigation and water source for the landlocked Nueva Ecija and surrounding provinces, have declined by 26 meters so far this year and are currently seven meters lower than at the same time last year, local government reports.
The Philippines, along with nearby South Asian countries, has been facing extreme heat in recent weeks, causing schools to suspend classes and prompting government advisories for people to stay indoors to avoid heatstroke.
Bangladesh closed all primary schools nationwide as temperatures soared to 43 degrees Celsius (109 Fahrenheit) on April 29.
Eastern India recorded its hottest April on record killing at least nine people, with parts of the country facing heatwave conditions during a general election. The persistent heatwave is expected to continue, with above-normal temperatures forecasted for May, according to weather officials.
