Ipo dam opens gates; several domestic flights cancelled

wikipilipinas.org photo

MANILA, Philippines— One major dam in Luzon has opened its gates to release water while several domestic flights have been cancelled due to the Low Pressure Area (LPA) affecting the country.

Philippine Astronomical Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (Pagasa) hydrologist Sonia Serrano said in a phone interview with Inquirer.net that as of 8 a.m., Ipo dam has opened two (2) gates at .30 meters each.

The current water level at Ipo dam was 100.5 meters, down from 101.5 meters at 7am. Ipo dam’s high water level was at 100.8 meters.

The management of La Mesa dam has raised the yellow alert over the dam as water levels continue to rise, a radio report said early Tuesday.

The water level was at 79.44 meters as of 9 a.m. Tuesday, just below its spilling level of 80.15 meters, the report said.

Serrano said that as of 9am, no other dam was at critical levels.

River ways’ critical spill levels

Water levels in several riverways were nearing critical spill levels according to the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council (NDRRMC) report Tuesday.

The Rosario Junction riverway had four flood gates open as of 6 a.m., the NDRRMC said. Its currrent water level was 12.45 meters, just a few meters below the critical spill level of 13.8 meters.

The San Juan River’s water level was at 12.85, almost 1 meter above its critical spill level of 12 meters, it said.

All other riverways such as Sto. Nino, Pandacan, Angono, Montalban, and Nangka, were just below one meter of their respective spilling levels, the NDRRMC said.

Cancelled domestic flights

Several domestic flights have been cancelled due to the bad weather. These were flight nos. 5J 902, 5J 911, 5J 912, 5J 905, 5J 906, 5J 915, 5J 916, NDRRMC said.

According to the media affairs division of the Manila International Airport Authority, as of 10 a.m. Tuesday, four Cebu Pacific flights to and from Naga and Busuanga were called off.

Also cancelled were two Airphil flights to and from Naga.  With a report from Tina Santos, Philippine Daily Inquirer

Originally posted at 11:14 AM | Tuesday, July 03, 2012