Despite rainfall, Angat Dam nears critical level

MALOLOS CITY — Typhoon "Florita" dumped heavy rains but they were not apparently enough to raise the water level of Angat Dam, which authorities fear might reach the critical mark.

As of yesterday, the provincial disaster coordinating council said water elevation at the giant reservoir slid down to 181.73 meters from 182.48 meters last Monday.

Some officials fear that the water level might drop to 180 meters — the critical level — forcing some power turbines to be shut down.

Angat supplies water to Metro Manila and generates at least 200 megawatts of electricity.

Authorities though is optimistic that the dam’s water level would not reach the critical mark — as it did in the summer of 2004 — with the ongoing rainy season.

Meanwhile, residents of the coastal Bulacan towns of Hagonoy and Obando are bracing for floods due to the high tide.

In Pangasinan, flooding is expected in low-lying areas as rivers gradually swell due to the heavy rainfall. — Dino Balabo, Eva Visperas and Cesar Ramirez