Cagayan villages flooded anew

TUGUEGARAO CITY, Philippines — Mayor Jefferson Soriano of this city ordered yesterday the preemptive evacuation of residents in low-lying areas after a flood alert was raised as water in Cagayan River rose due to heavy rains spawned by the northeast monsoon and water was released from Magat Dam again.

The Provincial Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Office (PDRRMO) said the road linking Barangay Logac in Lasam town and Gagabutan in Rizal was impassable.

Three bridges in Amulung and one each in Sta. Ana, Tuao and Baggao were submerged in floodwaters.

On Friday, 133 families or 1,500 people were displaced as heavy rains inundated several villages in Pamplona town.

In Kalinga, the PDRRMO said 80 people were forced to leave their homes after flash floods submerged Barangays Cabatacan and Allen in Pudtol town.

Several areas in Barangays San Mariano and Imelda, also in Pudtol, as well as in San Gregorio, Dagupan and Shalom in Luna and Sta. Filomena in Flora were flooded.

Magat Dam releases water

Authorities warned residents along Magat River and Cagayan River of flashfloods after six spillway gates of Magat Dam were opened at 5 p.m. yesterday.

The water level in the dam was only two meters below its spilling level of 193 meters at around 2 p.m.

The National Irrigation Administration (NIA) said it obtained permission from the regional DRRMO to discharge water from the dam.

Edwin Viernes of the NIA-Magat River Integrated Irrigation System said the six spillway gates have a total opening of 12 meters.

Viernes said seven spillway gates were opened during the onslaught of Typhoon Ulysses in November.

It was only last Dec. 6 when NIA closed the spillway gates after the water level returned to normal.

The widespread flooding in Cagayan and Marikina during Ulysses was blamed on the massive release of water from Magat Dam.

Local chief executives said the National Disaster Risk Reduction and Management Council should authorize the release of water from dams to help authorities make informed decisions.