Residents along Pampanga, Agno rivers told to evacuate

(7:35 p.m.) Residents in low-lying villages along Agno River in Pangasinan and Pampanga River in Nueva Ecija have began to move to higher grounds Thursday afternoon due to flooding from dams upstream that have started to release water. Officials said nonstop rains spawned by the tropical depression "Pepeng" (Parma) has prompted the administration of San Roque Dam in Pangasinan, to open the dam’s floodgates. As of 4 p.m. Thursday, six gates have opened with a total 15 meters outflow. In Nueva Ecija, Pantabangan Dam was also near overflowing and two floodgates were opened at 2 p.m. Thursday by the National Irrigation Administration (NIA), with a total outflow of 4 meters as of 4 p.m.
For the latest Philippine news stories and videos, visit GMANews.TV The Pangasinan Provincial Disaster Coordinating Council (PDCC) said two gates of San Roque Dam were opened by the National Power Corp. since Wednesday. The water level of the dam’s reservoir was fast rising because the Ambuklao and Binga dams in upstream Agno were releasing water, Napocor officials said. Ambuklao is located in Bokod town of Benguet while Binga is in Itogon town, also of Benguet. Paterno Orduña, executive officer of the Pangasinan PDCC, said the towns affected by the swelling Agno River include San Manuel, San Nicolas, Santa Maria, Asingan, Rosales, Balungao, Santo Tomas, and Urdaneta. "Mga 10 a.m. binuksan lahat ang gate ng San Roque Dam. Malaki ang volume na bumababa na tubig (As of 10 a.m. we opened all the gates of the dam. There is a big volume of water)," Orduña said in an interview on dzBB radio. He said the PDCC already alerted local residents and advised them to evacuate the area. In Alcala town, which is not covered by the flood warning, residents watched apprehensively as Agno River began to swell. "Nag-aalala din kami kasi bubuksan daw po ung Gate 5 eh (San Roque Dam)," said 26-year-old Mitchie Balada. Another resident, Marcelina Alvarez, 44, said it was a wait-and-see game for them since there was no advisory to evacuate. "Tinitignan namin kung tataas na ung tubig," she said. In Nueva Ecija, Pantabangan Dam’s water level was already at 219.92 meters, a few meters short before reaching the dam's maximum capacity of 221 meters, at noon Thursday, said another dzBB report. The rise in water level, the report said, was triggered by the heavy inflow of 1,600 cubic meters per second, the heaviest volume that the dam received in 30 years. To prevent the dam from collapsing, authorities will increase the volume of water that is being released to 400 cubic meters per second from the previous 250 cubic meters per second. Magat Dam Last week, some villages along Cagayan River were also forced to flee to higher grounds as the NIA released water from Magat Dam in Isabela at the height Pepeng. Pepeng, the strongest typhoon to hit the country in three years, slammed into Cagayan province on Oct. 3. It exited through Ilocos Norte into the South China Sea on Sunday but returned to northern Luzon on Wednesday after being dragged by typhoon Quedan (international code name: Melor), which was blowing across the Pacific Ocean east of Luzon. Pepeng, which has gradually been losing strength, exited late Wednesday, only to return again and make a third landfall in northern Luzon Thursday. Its return has caused flooding in seven coastal towns of Cagayan province, prompting evacuations. These were the towns of Amulung, Aparri, Ballesteros, Lasam, Buguey, Camalaniugan, and Santa Teresita. Pagasa weather bureau chief Nathaniel Cruz said Pepeng is expected to stay at least three more days in Philippine territory. Aie Balagtas See and Johanna Camille Sisante, GMANews.TV