Despite rains, Angat water remains low, nears critical level

MALOLOS CITY—Water elevation at the Angat Dam has remained low and nearing critical level despite rains brought by successive typhoons that hit the country.

This developed as the Pampanga River Flood Forecasting and Warning Center (PRFFWC) advised Bulacan and Pampanga residents living in low-lying areas to be on alert for possible flooding as typhoon Dindo is expected to bring more rains.

Records obtained by Punto from the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction Management Office (PDRRMO) showed that water elevation at the Angat Dam dropped to 186.51 meters above sea level (masl) yesterday morning from 186.84 masl recorded on Wednesday.

The said water elevation is just six meters above the 180 masl critical level.

Liz Mungcal, head of the Bulacan PDRRMO said typhoons Butchoy and Dindo brought minimal rainfall in the eastern part of the province were the dam is located.

She said that despite the low water elevation there is nothing to worry about as more rains are expected in the coming days.

“Typhoon season na, kaya anytime ay madadagdagan ang tubig sa dam dahil madalas na ang pag-ulan,” she said.

Located on the hills of Sierra Madre in Norzagaray town, Angat Dam supplies 97 percent of Metro Manila’s potable water requirement.

As this developed, the PRFFWC warned residents living on low lying areas and river banks in Bulacan and Pampanga to be on alert for possible flood.

Based on PRFFWC forecast issued at 9 a.m. yesterday, they expect 40 to 60 millimetres of rainfall in the next 24 hours.

In the previous 24 hours before the forecast, the PRFFWC recorded a 30 millimetres of rainfall from their rain gauge stations.

Watercourses likely to be affected by the possible rainfall are the tributaries of the Rio Chico River, the Candaba Swamp, the lower main of the Pampanga River and the tributaries of the Angat River in Bulacan.

The PRFFWC also warned residents living in high-tide-affected areas.