MALOLOS, Philippines – Rains brought by Typhoon Lawin have raised floodwaters caused by Typhoon Karen in 13 barangays in Bulacan.
Six villages in San Miguel town and seven in Calumpit are submerged in floodwaters up to three feet deep, the Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) reported yesterday.
Bulacan Gov. Wilhelmino Sy-Alvarado ordered the deployment of rescue and response teams to the affected areas.
However, the rains brought by the two typhoons did not raise the water level in Angat Dam to its critical level.
As of yesterday morning, water in Angat Dam was 10 meters below its high level of 210 meters.
The water level in Ipo Dam was 99.72 meters compared to its spilling level 101 meters. In Bustos Dam the water level is .32 meters less its spilling level of 17.70 meters.
The PDRRMO said damage to agriculture in Bulacan due to Karen was estimated at P34.3 million while damage to infrastructure was placed at P38.1 million.
San Roque dam
Meanwhile, in Pangasinan, two of six spillway gates of the San Roque Dam were opened at .5 meters yesterday due to heavy rains brought by Lawin.
Virgilio Garcia, hydrologist at the National Power Corp., said the release of water is necessary to mitigate the inflow of water that goes to the reservoir.
The water level in the dam was .78 meters higher than its normal level of 280 meters as of 9:45 a.m. yesterday. – With Eva Visperas