Dwindling water level in dams may be reversed by La Niña

The dwindling water levels in the country's dams may be reversed during the La Niña season, PAGASA said.

According to Tina Panganiban-Perez’s Tuesday report on “24 Oras,” the La Niña alert issued by PAGASA this month suggested that there was a 70 percent chance for the country to experience the weather pattern in the following months.

This means that the country may experience more rain than normal, especially over the eastern sections. Earlier on Tuesday, the water levels at the Angat Dam dropped to 176.2 meters, almost two meters below its level on Friday.

“Ito po ay puwedeng mag-dulot ng mas mataas kaysa normal na pag-ulan lalong lalo na po dito sa ating eastern section ng Pilipinas. Ito po sa parte ng Cagayan siguro, hanggang dito po sa parte ng Bicol,” Hydrologist Oyie Pagulayan said.

PAGASA's rainfall forecast predicted normal or above normal rain over various dams in the country in the following months.

“Ine-expect natin na mas may impact ito sa water shed ng Angat pagka dating po nitong last quarter at maaring sa first quarter of... the following year,” she said.

However, the La Niña season also came with consequences.

“If we have above normal rainfall, maari rin po itong makadagdag doon sa risk ng ating mga areas na, lalo na po ‘yung sinabi niyo bahain o ‘yung vulnerable for landslides, sa mga flash flooding, so mas nagiging vulnerable po sila,” she said. — Joahna Lei Casilao/DVM, GMA News