Habagat, high tide cause water levels to rise in Bulacan coastal areas

The heavy rains brought by the Southwest Monsoon (Habagat) and the high tide this weekend have caused water levels to rise and cause flooding in the coastal areas of Bulacan.

Retired Colonel Manuel Lukban, head of Bulacan Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office, on Sunday said that high tide is common in the coastal areas even without rains.

As of 6 a.m., the water level in Bulacan's coastal areas is at past four feet due to the high tide.

"Isa sa mga factor na mino-monitor natin nang lubos ay ang pagkakaroon namin ng high tide mga bandang 6 (a.m.) kanina. Ang lebel po ay nasa 4.8 feet po. So ibig sabihin, with or without ulan, mataas ang lebel ng tubig sa ating mga coastal areas," he told Super Radyo dzBB in an interview.

(One of the factors we are closely monitoring is the high tide we had around 6 o'clock earlier. The level was at 4.8 feet. So that means, with or without rain, the water level in our coastal areas is high.)

The coastal areas are in Hagonoy, Bulakan, Paombong, parts of Marilao, Obando, and Meycauayan.

"Ito pong sinasabi nating coastal areas, ito po ang Hagonoy, Bulakan, Paombong, area ng Marilao at Obando at Meycauayan. May kataasan ang tubig nila doon sa mga parteng coastal areas na minomonitor natin, na masasabi nating halo na ng Habagat at high tide," Lukban added.

(These coastal areas we're referring to—Hagonoy, Bulakan, Paombong, areas of Marilao, Obando, and Meycauayan—have high water levels in those monitored coastal parts, which we can say is a combination of Habagat and high tide.)

For instance, in some barangays in Hagonoy like Santa Ana and San Miguel, the high tide is at around two to three feet. But the water level is expected to subside by noon.

"Sa oras na ito ay may kataasan ang tubig, nasa bandang 4 feet, ang high tide po kasi...Sa ibang barangay naglalaro ng two to three feet. Pero inaasahan natin na magsa-subside ito ng bandang patanghali," said Lukban.

(At this hour, the water is quite high, around 4 feet, because of the high tide... In other barangays, it ranges between two to three feet. But we expect this to subside towards noon.)

Several areas in the country were flooded due to the rains brought by Habagat.

According to PAGASA's 4 a.m. weather forecast, Habagat will continue to bring rains over Metro Manila and several parts of Luzon and the Visayas on Sunday. —KG, GMA News