Alert level 1 up in Marikina River amid heavy rains

The Marikina River reaches Alert Level 1 or at least 15.1 meters amid heavy rains brought by tropical storm “Kabayan” on October 2, 2015. Photo by Abel Ulanday/INQUIRER.net

The Marikina River on Friday morning reached Alert level 1 amid rains spawned by tropical storm “Kabayan” over Metro Manila.

In an advisory, the public information office of Marikina City said the water level is at 15.1 meters with five floodgates open at 8:45 a.m.

Alert level 1 means that water level is at least 15 meters above sea level. It is at Alert level 3, or 17 meters that calls for evacuation.

READ: Tropical Storm ‘Kabayan’ makes landfall, brings rains

The state weather bureau has warned the public of possible flash floods and landslides amid the heavy rains brought by the tropical storm.

In its latest bulletin, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration, tropical storm Kabayan was last spotted in San Jose City, Nueva Ecija, or 60 kilometers east of Baler in Aurora.

The storm packed maximum sustained winds of 65 kilometers per hour near the center and gusts of up to 80 kph.

The storm made landfall over Baler-San Luis in Aurora early Friday and is expected to leave the Philippine area of responsibility on Sunday.

READ: ‘Kabayan’ intensifies into tropical storm; 9 provinces under signal No. 2

Storm Signal No. 2 was raised in Aurora, Quirino, Nueva Vizcaya, Nueva Ecija, Benguet, La Union, Pangasinan and Tarlac.

Signal No. 1 was raised in southern Isabela, Ifugao, Mt. Province, Ilocos Sur, Zambales, Pampanga, Bataan, Bulacan, Rizal, Northern Quezon including Polillo Island, and Metro Manila. Nestor Corrales/RAM