MANILA, Philippines (UPDATED) – At least 3 dams in northern Luzon have released water due to the threat of flooding because of heavy rains spawned by Typhoon Ompong (Mangkhut) on Saturday, September 15.

• As of 4 am on Saturday, the Ambuklao Dam had opened 5 gates at 2.5 meters, said state weather bureau PAGASA in an advisory. The water level had risen to 749.30 meters, near its critical level of 752 meters.
• Binga Dam also opened 6 gates at 3.5 meters, after the water level reached 572.17 meters, a few meters from its 575-meter water limit.
• Magat Dam has 2 gates open at 4 meters. Its water level was at 186.57 meters, near its high water level of 190 meters. Four hours ago, at midnight, it had 3 gates open at 6 meters.

At 6 am on Friday, September 14, all the 3 dams had only two gates each open at 1 meter.

In a phone interview with radio station dZMM, PAGASA hydrologist Jason Bausa said the dams had to release water so that it could take in more rain brought by Ompong.

Ambuklao Dam is situated at the Upper Agno River in Bokod, Benguet. Binga Dam is also along Agno River, in Itogon, Benguet, around 19 kilometers downstream from Ambuklao Dam.

The release of water from these two dams would affect the water level at San Roque Dam, which catches the water downstream, said Bausa.

In a separate advisory, the National Power Corporation said the discharge of water from the Ambuklao and Binga dams would not cause flooding in the flood warning zone, which includes the towns of Bokod and Itogon in Benguet.

Meanwhile, Bausa said the towns in Isabela along the Magat River that may be affected by the release of water from Magat Dam are Ramon, San Mateo, Cabatuan, Luna, Aurora, Reina Mercedes, Burgos, Gamu, and Naguilian.

Typhoon Ompong made landfall in Baggao, Cagayan, at 1:40 am, Saturday, said PAGASA. – Rappler.com

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