Angat Dam water level continues to rise as rains finally fall

Rains have started to fall around the Angat Dam watershed area in Bulacan province and the reservoir’s water level has begun rising. But state weather agency was unsure the cloud-seeding operation on Thursday triggered the rains. Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) forecaster Gener Quitlong said Friday it may be too early to say the seeded clouds have brought results. "Di pa, di pa bumabagsak talaga doon (Not yet, the rain from such clouds may not yet be falling there)," he said in an interview on dzBB radio, when asked if the rains can be attributed to cloud seeding. Still, he said their satellite photos showed thick clouds starting to gather above the Angat area, although the clouds are not yet right above the dam. Cloud-seeding operations were done Thursday amid reservations by PAGASA forecasters that rain from the seeded clouds may not fall on the dam. Angat Dam supplies majority of Metro Manila's water needs. "Bagama't di umuulan mismo sa lugar may paguulan na nangyayari sa malapit kaunti doon. Kahit papaano itong sukat ng tubig medyo umaangat (While it has not rained directly over the dam, there are rains in nearby areas. This has raised the water level)," Quitlong said. As of 6 a.m. Friday, PAGASA said Angat's water level rose to 159.66 meters from 158.60 meters Thursday, a rise of 1.06 meters, but still below the 180-meter critical level. Meanwhile, PAGASA said an Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) may bring rains to parts of the country. "The whole country will experience mostly cloudy skies with scattered rainshowers and thunderstorms," it said in its 5 a.m. bulletin. — LBG, GMANews.TV