Floods threaten as Angat Dam releases water

MALOLOS, Bulacan—The Angat Dam in Norzagaray, Bulacan has started releasing water on Thursday after it breached its spilling level, the first in the year after recovering from a period of drought.

READ: ‘Nona’ increased water levels in Luzon dams due to heavy rains—Pagasa

The National Power Corporation, which manages the Angat Dam, said the reservoir’s Gate 2 was opened at 8 a.m. with an estimated water discharge of 60 cubic meters per second to ease the increasing level of the dam because of the heavy rains dumped by typhoon “Nona” since Monday.

READ: Weakened ‘Nona’ to dump rain in northern, central Luzon

As of 6 a.m., the water level has reached 213 meters above sea level, up by three meters in 24 hours and higher than its flood season high water level of 212 meters.

The release of dam’s water is not expected to affect the low-lying areas of the province, said Danilo Flores, hydrologist from the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration.

However, the water level of Pampanga River has been rising since Wednesday, threatening another spate of flooding in the province almost two months after typhoon “Lando” devastated Central Luzon.

The Pampanga River Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (PRFFWC) said flooding is threatening and is expected to occur in municipalities of Calumpit, Paombong, and Hagonoy on Thursday afternoon, along with Apalit, Macabebe, and Masantol in Pampanga.

According to the PRFFWC, riverside flooding is also possible in areas of Angat, Norzagaray, Bustos, Baliuag, Pulilan, and Plaridel. RAM