Magat Dam. Image from the National Irrigation Administration – MARIIS website
MANILA, Philippines – Two towns in Isabela have been warned of possible flooding in their areas as the National Irrigation Administration-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS) announced on Saturday that 798 cubic meters per second (cms) of water was released from the Magat Dam.
In a notice, the NIA-MRIIS warned the towns of Gamu and Aurora in Isabela as gate 4 of the Magat Dam was opened at two meters, releasing 393 cms of water.
Gate 3 of the Magat Dam also opened at 1 meter, releasing 179 cms of water. At 9 a.m., the NIA-MRIIS increased the opening of gate 3 to 2 meters, to release 393 cms of water.
Isabela is currently under a state of calamity as massive floods submerged the province due to rains brought by Typhoon Ulysses.
Residents of Sta. Maria town in Isabela previously told INQUIRER.net that they believe the floods were caused by the release of water from the Magat Dam, which was forced to the spilling level due to rains brought by Ulysses.
The Magat Dam is situated on the Magat River, a major tributary of the Cagayan River.
NIA however stood firm on its position that the release of water from the Magat Dam was not the main cause of the flooding that submerged Isabela and Cagayan.