Angat Dam water released

Angat Dam. INQUIRER FILE PHOTO

CITY OF SAN FERNANDO—Operators of Angat Dam in Bulacan province on Monday opened two floodgates to help ease water rising on its reservoir due to heavy rain.

The dam, a major source of Metro Manila’s potable water, released 0.5 meters per second of water, after its reservoir level reached 211.34 meters above sea level, which was higher than its 210 masl spilling level.

The Pampanga River Basin Flood Forecasting Center advised communities near the Pampanga River in the provinces of Pampanga, Nueva Ecija and Bulacan to brace for possible floods.

In Pangasinan province, disaster response officials placed the province on “blue” alert.

Although the province was not in the direct path of Typhoon “Nina” (international name: Nock-ten), the typhoon’s 500-kilometer diameter may dump moderate to heavy rain in many towns of the province, said Avenix Arenas of the provincial risk reduction and management office.

Water search and rescue teams and a mobile medical clinic have been deployed in Lingayen beach, which has been frequented by vacationers from Metro Manila and neighboring provinces. —REPORTS FROM TONETTE OREJAS AND GABRIEL CARDINOZA