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CITY OF BAGUIO – Continuous heavy rains from Typhoon Ulysses (international name: Vamco) forced operators of six dams in the Cordillera region and the provinces of Bulacán and Isabela to open their floodgates when the levels of their reservoirs exceeded spill marks.
The Magat dam in Isabela province released water at 184 cubic meters per second at 7 am Thursday. The last discharge was added to the opening of two other gates, which released water 806 cms.
The Ambuklao and Binga dams in Benguet province also released water on Thursday.
In Bulacan, cities near its three dams braced for the impact of the water discharge on Thursday.
The Angat Dam, which supplies 98 percent of Metro Manila’s drinking water, began releasing water to lower the level of its reservoir to 213 meters above sea level, an increase of 5 meters from the previous day. Its normal high level was 210 meters above sea level.
The Ipo Dam below Angat released water at 1,361 cm when its elevation reached 101.76 meters. The Ipo spill level is 101 meters. The Bustos dam began to release water at 2,520 cm after its level rose to 18.04 meters. Its spill level is 17 meters. The volume of water released was finally reduced to 587 cms.
Central Luzon, Bicol flooded
At least three people were killed in typhoon-related incidents in Camarines Norte and Benguet provinces, according to reports from disaster response agencies.
In Central Luzon, at least 3,000 families from the region were transferred to 106 evacuation centers in the provinces of Bulacan, Aurora, Pampanga, Zambales, Nueva Ecija and Bataan, which also suffered massive flooding.
More than 4,000 families, or 14,500 people, in 11 towns and cities of Bulacan fled as a flood of up to 2 meters high (7 feet) swept through their communities.
Five roads in Aurora, Nueva Ecija, and Pampanga were not passable due to flooding and tree debris.
In Pampanga, 68 towns in the towns of Masantol, Macabebe, San Luis, Sto. Thomas, Candaba, San Simón, Sasmuan, Guagua and Apalit, and the City of San Fernando were flooded.
In Isabela, more than 7,400 families were evacuated at the height of the typhoon, which caused widespread flooding in low-lying villages.
In Bicol, Ulises sent 50,582 families (180,581 people) to various evacuation centers in the region, reported the Office of Civil Defense.
Landslides
But most of these residents, still recovering from the devastation caused by Typhoon “Rolly” (international name: Goni) on November 1, were allowed to return to their flooded homes at noon Thursday.
Floods were reported in 37 cities in Bicol, caused by swollen rivers and storm surges 2 to 3 meters high that submerged houses, commercial establishments, roads and farms.
Landslides were reported in the towns of Bulusan, Sorsogon province; Ragay and Sipocot, both in the province of Camarines Sur; Paracale in Camarines Norte; and Pandan in the province of Catanduanes.
Catanduan situation
Catanduanes was still recovering from Rolly’s effects. Power lines that were beginning to be repaired were brought down again.
Some areas of the capital, Virac, were flooded, sending at least 145 families to government buildings and private homes, as most of the evacuation centers had been damaged by Rolly.
Across the province, 1,344 families in seven towns were evacuated on Wednesday, according to a report from the provincial disaster risk reduction and management office (PDRRMO).
Virac does not yet have electricity and remains isolated from the rest of the province. It has little or no contact with the other villages as the roads were blocked by landslides, according to PDRRMO reports.
Power outages were reported in Bataan, Zambales, Pampanga, Bulacan and Olongapo City and parts of Baguio City and Benguet. – REPORTS FROM KIMBERLIE QUITASOL, CARMELA REYES-ESTROPE, TONETTE OREJAS, JOANNA ROSE AGLIBOT, GREG REFRACCION, ARMAND GALANG, YOLANDA SOTELO, VILLAMOR VISAYA JR., MAR ARGUELLES, REY ANTHONY OSTRIA. APRIL WED-MANJARES AND FERNAN GIANAN
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