Magat releases water; hundreds evacuated

By Freddie G. Lazaro

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Cagayan— Gatekeepers of the 350-megawatt Magat Dam in Ramon, Isabela province confirmed Thursday it had started releasing excess water from its reservoir since Wednesday due to continuous rains in the Cagayan Valley region.

Provincial disaster management officials reported that 43 out of the 910 families affected by continuous heavy rains and floods in Cagayan province have already been evacuated.

This is over 200 evacuees in Bagao and Sta. Teresita towns since Wednesday.

Releasing of water from the dam began when it registered a water elevation at 192.95 cubic meters, which was already near its spilling level of 193 meters.

Engineer Wilfredo Gloria of the National Irrigation Administration – Magat River Integrated Irrigation System (NIA-MRIIS), said the dam had also registered an inflow of 1,173 cubic meters per second (cm) and outflow at 983 cubic meters per second.

“The dam has already registered an inflow of more than one thousand cubic meter per second as of 12 noon last Wednesday and had opened two of its spilling gates at five meters each in anticipation of the incoming rainwater from the dam’s watershed areas,” Gloria said.

Last Tuesday, the dam management recorded heavy rainfalls in the dam’s watershed areas such as in Santo Domingo with 5 cm; Dumayup with 12 cm; Halong with 17 cm; and Magat with 22 cm.

Meanwhile, overflowing of water at three bridges in Isabela province had rendered them impassable last Wednesday.

The swelling of water flooded Alicaocao Bridge in Cauayan City as well as the bridges connecting Santo Tomas and Cabagan towns, and Sta. Maria and Cabagan.

Gloria said there was an abrupt increase of water level along the Cagayan River and creeks, caused by the prevalence of heavy rains in the region.
In Aparri, Cagayan, the Philippine Coast Guard (PCG) suspended all travel of shipping vessels from this town to the island towns of Cagayan and Isabela provinces because of the big waves.

PCG Chief Petty Officer Ernesto Renon based in Aparri, Cagayan said the cancelled ferry schedules were those going to the coastal towns of Maconacon and Divilacan in Isabela province; and Camiguin and Calayan Islands in Cagayan province.

He said the journey of shipping vessels along the shorelines of Cagayan province is considered risky due to big sea waves. He also warned that fishing venture at sea in Cagayan is not safe.

He also warned local residents to take extra precaution on possible flash floods and landslides that might be caused by rainshowers and thunderstorms over Cagayan Valley provinces.