Magat, Binga, Ambuklao dams open gates as water level increase —PAGASA

Several dams have opened their gates amid the rise in its water levels on Tuesday, according to state weather bureau PAGASA.

Based on its update, PAGASA said water levels in Angat Dam, La Mesa Dam,  Binga Dam, San Roque Dam, Pantabangan Dam, and Magat Dam have increased.

Magat Dam opened two meters of one of its gates. Binga opened two gates (0.8 meters) and Ambuklao released water with one gate (0.5 meters).

Unlike most of the dams, water levels in Ambuklao Dam, Caliraya Dam, and Ipo Dam have decreased on Tuesday.

PAGASA said the following are the updates on the water levels in these dams:

• Angat Dam – from 213.17 meters on Monday to 213.90 meters on Tuesday
• La Mesa – from 79.31 m to 79.35 m
• Binga – from  574.75 m to 574.82 m
• San Roque – from 274.61 m to 274.98 m

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• Pantabangan – from 204.59 m to 204.69 m
• Magat – from 189.51 m to 189.58 m
• Ambuklao – from 751.89 m to 751.85 m
• Caliraya – from 287.59 m to 287.19 m
• Ipo – from 100.43 m to 100.07 m

As of Monday morning, November 30, 2020, only the Magat sub-basin was under "flood-watch," according to PAGASA, with the municipalities of Ramon, San Mateo, Aurora, Cabatuan, Luna, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Naguilian and Gamu, all in Isabela, likely to be affected.

Residents and local officials of Cagayan and Isabela provinces have blamed the release of water of Magat Dam for the massive flooding they experienced after Typhoon Ulysses early November.

But during a congressional hearing, National Irrigation Administration chief Ricardo Visaya said the opening of the water gates of Magat Dam was not the major cause of the flooding in the two provinces. --Joviland Rita/KBK, GMA News