Five major dams across Luzon have begun releasing water in preparation for the possible impact of Super Typhoon Uwan, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA) reported on Saturday, November 8.
According to PAGASA, Angat Dam in Bulacan has three gates open, discharging 449 cubic meters per second (cms) of water as its reservoir water level (RWL) reached 210.33 meters, slightly above its normal high-water level (NHWL) of 210.00 meters.
Similarly, Ipo Dam in Bulacan opened three gates at 2.5 meters, releasing 354.10 cms as its RWL climbed to 100.77 meters, close to its NHWL of 101.10 meters.
In Northern Luzon, Magat Dam in Ifugao and Isabela opened two gates at four meters each, releasing 1,058.39 cms of water. Its current RWL stands at 185.51 meters, just 7.49 meters below the NHWL of 193.00 meters.
Meanwhile, Ambuklao Dam and Binga Dam in Benguet have each opened one gate at 0.30 meters, discharging 55.15 cms and 47.45 cms respectively. Ambuklao’s RWL is at 749.98 meters, only 2.02 meters below its NHWL of 752.00 meters, while Binga’s RWL is 573.55 meters, or 1.45 meters below its limit.
PAGASA earlier warned that Super Typhoon Uwan may bring torrential rains and strong winds across Luzon and parts of the Visayas, heightening the risk of flooding and landslides in vulnerable areas.