MANILA, Philippines -- Four dams in Luzon nearing their spillover levels were forced to release water Sunday, spawning fears among residents of low-lying towns in Northern and Central Luzon of worse flooding.
The National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) confirmed that floodgates were opened at 4 a.m. Sunday to release water from three dams in the Agno Basin as well as in Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela.
Seven floodgates of Ambuklao Dam in Benguet were opened seven meters to release water; Binga Dam, also in Benguet, opened five floodgates at 9 meters; and San Roque Dam opened two gates at one meter.
Flood forecasters of Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) said ten Pangasinan towns are in the path of water released from three dams of the Agno River Basin.
PAGASA said Quiel’s rains which was forecast to dump 100 to 150 millimeters of rainfall over San Roque Dam catchment areas overnight until Sunday was one of the factors that led to the opening of the floodgates.
Magat Dam, one of the biggest dams in the country with the Magat River being a major tributary of Cagayan River, continued to release excess water due to the surface water run-off going to its watershed areas.
PAGASA warned those living near Agno River and its tributaries of flooding due to strong water inflow from Agno tributaries and release of water from San Roque Dam.
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